


Diamonda Mask

by NetRaptor



Series: NetRaptor's AU Sonicverse [20]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types, jazz jackrabbit
Genre: Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dragons, F/M, Ghosts, Kidnapping, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 18:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 37,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10703055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NetRaptor/pseuds/NetRaptor
Summary: When several chao are stolen from the chao garden, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Zephyer set out to track down the thieves. But can they rescue their beloved chao from a city of ruthless turtles who experiment on humans and other "lesser" species?Told first-person from Zephyer's POV. Contains a crossover with Jazz Jackrabbit, an old game similar to Sonic.





	1. Chapter 1

Do you believe in ghosts? I do. I met some once. They were powerful, invisible, and dangerous.

One of them was mine.

It all started with the kidnapping.

I was sitting in the sun on my doorstep, reading a book. The night before I had stayed up late helping Sally clear the yard beside her hut for an herb garden. We struck a boulder that we had to haul off before we could do anything with the ground. My fingers, feet and knees were stiff with mud, but I was so tired I went to bed without cleaning them. I was forced to oil myself first thing the next morning. It's quite a job when your fingers are too stiff to work the oilcan.

Which brings me back to that bright September morning. I wanted to do nothing more than read all day, and watch Sally two doors down spading fertilizer into her garden.

My book was a good one-The Adventures of Lara Fox, book three-and I didn't hear Talon until his shadow fell over my pages. His black forelock had a rumpled look, and I knew that he had something to tell me. I laid my book down and smiled. "Hi Talon. What's the matter?"

"The Chaos Company just called," he said, knotting his fingers together. "Nine of their chao were stolen last night."

At first I thought he was joking. "Yeah, right."

He looked at me. "Chimera and Zinc were taken, along with all the hatchlings."

I had never known Talon to lie. "You're kidding, right?" I said, less certainly.

He looked at his hands again, which he was folding into complicated patterns.

I stood up-I'm taller than he is-and said, "You're kidding me, right?"

"I beat Knuckles here," he whispered. "He wanted to tell Sonic himself."

My heart began to pound. Zinc, my Zinc, had been stolen and was probably frightened and hurt ... what would a kidnapper do to a chao? Were they used in experiments? Were they vivisected? My imagination sprang from one horrible possibility to another, and with each passing second I became more panicked. "Talon, you're sure?" I said, my voice trembling.

He nodded.

I couldn't stand there any longer, with images of Zinc's frightened face dancing in my mind's eyes. I dashed off, looking for Knuckles. It had to be wrong. Chao weren't kidnapped from the heart of the human colonies...!

I rounded a corner and was knocked flat by Sonic, who was rounding the same corner at a run. It didn't hurt me-being robotized from the neck down has its advantages-but Sonic got up with a bloody nose.

"Sorry, Zephyer," he panted, helping me up and wiping his nose. "Gah, I can't believe I did that."

"Sonic, some chao were kidnapped." The words spilled out like so many marbles.

He looked at me. "Oh, you know. I was coming to tell you."

My fear was entering its second stage now; tears. "Sonic, if they've hurt Zinc-" I choked back a sob. Then I reached out and tilted his head back. "Lay down, it'll make the bleeding stop. If they've hurt Zinc-"

If I had not been so distraught, I would have found Sonic's nosebleed funny. He pinched his nose and flopped on a patch of grass. I stood there by him, struggling not to cry and trying not to laugh.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned. Knuckles was approaching, and he had a stunned look, as if someone had hit him in the head with a brick. Chimera was his chao and had regressed a few months earlier. Between us, Knuckles and I have more chao horror stories than the entire Chaos Company.

The sight of my feelings reflected on his face steadied me. "Knuckles, what happened?" My voice was calmer.

He looked at Sonic without seeing him. "I got the message ten minutes ago. Zinc and Chimera ... and seven other chao ... Chimera only hatched a week ago." His eyes focused and became angry. "I'm going to do something."

"Good," I said. "I'm coming with you."

"Me too," said Sonic.

Knuckles jumped. "Sonic! What happened to you?"

"Zephyer mugged me," said Sonic, sniffing. "You know how she tries to kill people when they're not looking. Anyway, I want to come."

"But your chao wasn't stolen," I said.

Sonic sat up and touched his nose. "No, but I can run faster than you guys. You never know when a supersonic hedgehog will come in handy."

Knuckles shook his head. "Neither of you are coming. Sonic, the reporters are still after your blood after the ARK incident, and Zephyer..." He trailed off and looked at me. "I don't want you along if something's happened to the chao."

"I left Zinc to die once," I said. "I'm not going to do it again."

He opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it.

Sonic stood up and looked at us. "Why not take the island, Knux? It'd be like your own portable hotel."

"Three problems," said Knuckles. "One, altitude, two, windshear, and three, it would cause a panic every time it passed over a town." He glanced at me, and I wondered if he had tried it once. If you're alone for years on a floating island, you have time to try out stupid ideas.

"I guess I could teleport-Oh, darn," said Sonic. He moved his fingers in an odd way and I knew he was fondling his invisible emerald belt. "I forgot, the chaos emeralds are gone."

"And good riddance," I muttered. "We'll have to drive down there like usual." I turned and walked up the street toward my hut.

"Where are you going?" Knuckles called.

"To pack," I called back. Sonic and Knuckles could argue all they liked, but I couldn't stand around doing nothing while my Zinc might be suffering.

One nice thing about being robotized is that you don't have to wear clothes. I wear them in the winter, but the rest of the year its too much trouble trying to stuff my jagged, angular limbs into clothes. I don't have a single garment that isn't torn. The one thing I can wear is a cloak, and I have a collection of them. I only wear one when I want to cover up my robot parts, because it makes people nervous. Like being handicapped.

I picked up my knapsack and packed three cloaks and a raincoat-it was September, after all-and a few other things, like dreadlock clips and a hairbrush. I thought constantly about Zinc and Chimera. I hoped whoever had taken Zinc had had trouble with him, because I had trained him to fight when he was little. I smiled at the thought of him ripping holes in his captors. And Chimera ... if his personality hadn't been altered by his regression, he would have fought, too. Zinc and Chimera were the aggressive ones. It's only fitting that they belonged to echidnas.

But who would steal chao? It boggled my mind. Chao are sweet, defenseless creatures like babies. I know some people think of them as pets, but I can't imagine making a pet out of a creature who can think and talk. And to steal some?

I emerged from my hut with my knapsack, locked my door, and looked for Sonic and Knuckles. Neither was in sight, but Tails and Talon were standing in the shade, holding a hushed, serious conversation. I walked up, and they gave me a furtive glance before deciding I was okay. Younger boys are like that sometimes.

"Why would anyone want to kidnap chao?" Tails was saying. "And why didn't they take ours? I thought they were valuable."

Talon shook his head.

I said, "Maybe somebody wanted some to play with, so they hired a thief."

"Nine of them?" said Talon, looking at me. "Isn't one enough?"

I shrugged. "I didn't say it was the best reason." My own thoughts were running along the lines of illegal experimentation, but I didn't tell them that. We didn't need everyone in Knothole going on a chao hunt.

Tails looked at me and shook his head. "I'm sorry about Zinc, Zeff. I hope he's okay."

"Me too," I said, touched. Tails isn't the most sensitive kid in the world, although he's a sap compared to Sonic. I patted him on the shoulder. "By the time we're through, nobody will ever steal another chao."

Tails and Talon grinned. They knew that between Knux, Sonic and me, there was enough canned rage to dynamite Robotropolis.

I heard someone behind me and turned to see Sonic standing there with a fanny pack he took whenever he traveled somewhere. I had it on good authority that all he ever packed was an extra pair of gloves, two pairs of socks, a hundred Mobiads, and some hair gel. When you have fur, you don't need much else. I noticed he was glowing a little, which happened whenever he became excited. Two months ago Sonic was blasted with enough Chaos energy to fry a planet, and he says has a residual charge. It makes me nervous.

"Ready to go, Zeff?" he said, glancing at my knapsack. I nodded. "Good," he said, bouncing from foot to foot. "Knux decided to take the island south after all, he says its more convenient than driving. Hey Talon, you coming or staying?"

"Coming," said the anteater at once. "Bye, Tails."

"Oh yeah," said Sonic, pretending to notice Tails for the first time. "See you later, kiddo." He ruffled the fox's ears. "Think you'll have the Cyclone running by the time I get back?"

The Cyclone was Tails's plane-cum-walker, and it required the maintenance level of a sports car. Tails was always taking it apart and tinkering with it.

"Maybe," said Tails, looking glum. "You sure I can't come?"

Sonic paused, and his eyes took on a scheming glint. "Sure," he said. "Once you get the plane working, follow us down. The folks at the Chao Company can probably point you the way we've gone." He stepped aside with Tails and they whispered together. I saw Sonic palm something from Tails and put it in his pack. When they turned back to me, they looked as if they had cooked up a plot.

"Now you rogues are finished," I said, "do you think we can leave?"

"Sure," said Sonic. "To the teleporter!" He dashed off, and Talon and I followed him. Tails stood where he was, smiling to himself.

"What was that all about?" Talon asked me.

I shrugged. "Sonic and Tails aren't happy unless they're scheming something. Tails will probably come with us."

"Can I come?" he asked, shooting me a hopeful glance.

I forced my face into a stern look. "No." When he looked down, I added, "Take it up with Knuckles. He might let you go to the chao gardens."

Talon smiled. "That's all I wanted."

The teleporter was a flat blue disk planted on the ground, set for a particular receiving port on the Floating Island. It was easier than taking Tails's biplane any time one of us wanted to visit, but I couldn't help thinking about the last time I had used it. I watched Talon beam up ahead of me, and thought of locating the teleporter by touch in the darkness, as Knuckles the Insane hunted me through the trees...

I beamed down on the island and breathed the fragrance of something blooming in bright yellow clumps nearby. Talon walked away up the path, but Sonic was standing to one side, inhaling in deep breaths.

"What?" I asked.

Sonic smiled. "I can't get over the way this place smells."

I pointed at the clump of yellow flowers. "Those are Yellow Birdeater, and they're poisonous."

He recovered from his enjoyment of their scent at once and escorted me up the path. He was still glowing, I noticed.

"It's about time something exciting happened," he said. "Nothing's happened since July, and I mean nothing."

"Half the village has moved to the new buildings in Mobitropolis," I said. "That's not nothing."

"I mean to me."

"Oh, so unless your life is in danger, it's not exciting."

"Right." He grinned. "It's been almost six weeks now since the Flux."

I looked him up and down. "And you're still glowing."

"Hey, I can't help it if I have residual charge," he said.

I staggered and put my arms out. The Floating Island had just shifted, and I remembered I was walking on a hunk of rock suspended in the sky. Sonic steadied me. "What's wrong?"

"The island's moving," I said. "Ugh, it's moving fast."

Sonic looked quizzical. "How can you tell?"

"It's like being in a moving car," I said. "You can't feel it?"

"No."

A breeze rustled in the trees from the island's motion, and I forced myself to keep moving. I had never noticed the island moving before. Either Knuckles was flying it at extremely high speeds, or ... I remembered how the Master Emerald had responded to my command. No way.

"Talon's going to beat you to Chaotix Central, Sonic."

"No he's not!" Sonic vanished in a cloud of dust. I plodded on in his wake, trying to pretend I didn't know the island was moving. I peered up at the mountains in the center of the island, miles away. Knuckles was perched on top of the highest peak, and if I knew him, he had a ferocious glare on his face. He made it look like work, but he had told me the hardest part was keeping your concentration. I wouldn't want his job.

When I reached Chaotix Central, which was a small park where Knux and his five friends hung out, I found Talon had beat Sonic by an inch, and Sonic was demanding a rematch. Talon refused and went into Knuckles's house, leaving Sonic fuming. I laughed. Talon was no dummy-beating Sonic, even by accident, is something to crow about.

Sonic and I hung out in the little park until the Chaotix trickled in, mostly Espio, who challenged Sonic to an elaborate obstacle course, where he won over and over. Sonic quit when he realized he couldn't beat the chameleon, and he and I helped ourselves to Knuckles's pantry.

We passed a pleasant day that way, but without a single glimpse of the island's guardian. I found I missed him, and scolded myself to developing a crush. In echidna culture, Knuckles was the equivalent to king. If my people had been on Mobius where they belonged, every teenage girl would have a crush on him. For a moment I was glad for the accident that brought me to this world-then I was sorry. I would never see my family again. I couldn't be happy about that.

I slipped outside and walked down toward the edge of the island. I wanted to see how close we were to Sapphire City, and feeling the island's motion from indoors was making me carsick. It was a pleasant walk along a banana palm grove, and there were fall flowers blooming everywhere. I could only name a quarter of them, and wondered if I could find a tropical flower field guide while we were in town.

There was a stone wall on the edge of the island here, and I leaned on it and scanned the horizon. The mainland was in sight, but it was a smooth mass of green with no distinguishing features. I squinted up the coast. Surely we were close. We have been travelling all day, and I figured Knuckles was tired. I wondered what had made him decide to take the Floating Island after all.

I stood there a long time, feeling the air on my face and watching the mainland slip past. The sun was setting when I spotted a crescent-shaped island down on the ocean, and the coastline receded as if someone had scooped out a bowl. Sapphire Bay. We continued on until we were some distance south of it, and the coastline drew up into cliffs. I felt the island stop. It was a relief. I stood there with my elbows on the wall and looked down at the mainland with a sense of superiority. No wonder the echidna race was so haughty-if you spent your life looking down on the world, it would affect you that way.

Something made me look up, and I saw Knuckles gliding toward me noiselessly, his dreadlocks spread out like a hanglider. I had only seen him glide once before, and I watched him with interest. I had never known an echidna that could glide like that, and I think it has something to do with being born on Mobius.

Knuckles landed a little way off. I knew he had seen me, but he pretended I didn't exist, and held out both hands. In them was a miniature version of the Master Emerald, and at his command I felt the island begin to move again. We were sinking and drawing closer to the mainland. I watched as the cliffs drew closer. It was like a game of chicken, and I forced myself to keep watching, although I wanted to look away. I braced myself and watched until it seemed the island would collide with the cliffs, and exhaled in relief as we stopped.

Knuckles dropped his arms and looked at me. "Hi," he said. "Scare you?"

"No," I told him. "Chicken's my favorite game. How do we get ashore?"

"I'll put a bridge up," said Knuckles, flexing his arms. "I need to eat first." He walked up the path toward Chaotix Central, and I followed him.

"You mean you didn't even pack a lunch?"

He shrugged.

"You numbskull," I said.

He looked over his shoulder. "Do you want to fly the island next time?"

"Sure," I said. "And I'd take lunch, too."

He looked bemused and kept walking. He knew I was teasing.

I hurried to walk beside him. "Knux, can you tell when the island's moving?"

"Yeah," he said, flipping a dreadlock over his shoulder. "But I'm the guardian, and I can feel a lot of things in the Floating Island. Why do you ask?"

"You must have been flying awfully fast, then," I said.

"No, normal speed," he said, then caught himself and looked at me with raised eyebrows.

I shrugged. "I guess I get motion sickness too easy." I looked away, ashamed to admit it, but I had spooked him.

"Zephyer ... you can tell when the island's moving?"

I looked at him, then dropped my eyes to the crescent on his chest. "I could today."

Knuckles stared at me. "Zeff, only guardians are supposed to be able to do that."

"Maybe it had something to do with when I touched the Master Emerald," I said. For some reason I couldn't seem to look at him.

"Only guardians are supposed to be able to do that, too," he said.

The implications of this embarrassed me, but before either of us could say anything else, Sonic galloped out to us. "Hey Knux, you're back! Are we there? Can we see the chao before it gets dark?"

"I'm not going to see my chao," said Knuckles through his teeth, and Sonic sobered.

"Oh man, I am sorry, Knux. I'll let you play with Velocity if you want."

"I don't want Velocity," said Knuckles, and brushed past him to go to the house.

Sonic looked at me, ears flat. "I never say the right thing, Zeff."

"I have chronic foot-in-mouth, too," I told him. "Don't worry, he'll get over it."


	2. Chapter 2

We  
went ashore that evening, after Knuckles and Mighty the Armadillo had   
stretched a rope bridge from the island to the mainland. From there it   
was a mile to the outskirts of Sapphire City, where we caught a taxi and  
rode to the Chao Company. As we pulled up outside the light blue   
building, my stomach began to tighten. I had left Zinc in the care of   
these people, and he had been taken from under their noses. There had to  
be a better way to care for chao than by this ... this socialist   
method. I glanced at Sonic and Knuckles, who looked grim. I wasn't the   
only one having dark thoughts.

We went inside and were surprised to see guards standing in the lobby. They eyed us as we trooped up to the sign-in desk, where a teenaged human secretary was sitting.

"Hi," said Sonic. "Some of our chao were stolen, and we came down here to, uh..." He looked at Knuckles, who was massaging his knuclaws and looking dangerous.

The girl stood up, her eyes glistening. "Oh, you poor people," she murmured. "Go right in, garden six. We moved all the valuable chao in there after..." She pulled out a kleenex and covered her face.

Knuckles and Sonic walked off, looking awkward, but I didn't want to leave the girl crying like that. "It's okay," I said, patting her shoulder and wishing my hands weren't metal. "We're going to go after the kidnappers. You know Sonic Hedgehog? That was him, he's going to help."

She lowered her kleenex and looked at me. "I hope you find them," she said in a quavery voice. "We came in here this morning and the doors were open and the hatchlings were gone ... and that one rare silver chao, I felt so bad!"

A knot formed in my throat. I patted her again, said something about seeing the other chao, and walked off to find garden six, trying not to cry.

A while back we had been given seven chao to raise at Knothole, and the chao turned out as colorful as the people who had raised them. The five remaining in the garden were violet, blue, green, white and purple, and they ran to us as we entered. Sonic was holding Velocity, and the others gathered around Knuckles and me, trying to tell us how sorry they were about Chimera and Zinc. The knot in my throat grew bigger at the sight of them. Zinc would have been so happy to see me, but he was gone, a victim of who knows what...

I wheeled and strode out of the garden. I wound up on the sidewalk outside the Chao Company. There was nobody around, so I broke down and cried. As I cried I walked, as if that could help Zinc. It was a relief to let out the emotions that had been building up all day. By the time I reached the end of the block I felt better. I turned and headed back, wiping my eyes. My head was clear now. First thing was to pack some food, because if I knew Sonic and Knuckles, they would take off into the wild with nothing but the fur on their backs. I had brought along my knapsack, and I thought there was enough room in it for some human-made dehydrated rations.

As I reached the Chao Co., the doors opened and Knuckles stepped out. "Are you okay?"

I knew my eyes were still red, but I smiled. "Fine, thanks. In fact, I think I'm going shopping."

His jaw dropped open in disbelief. Then he recovered himself and said, "Suit yourself. But be back here by seven. We'll be ready to start by then."

"But it'll be dark," I protested. "How will we track anything?"

He only looked at me, and I sensed his unspoken anger.

"Okay," I said. "I'll pick up some flashlights while I'm out."

Shopping in the human colonies is a unique experience. They have weird inventions and products, and all the racks and shelves are a little too big for a Mobian to reach. You're constantly reminded that these people are from another world, and their brains work differently from ours. They're friendly to our kind, but just ... alien. I see why there have been wars between our species.

Shopping cheered me up a little, although my metal body drew stares. I bought a first-aid kit and two week's worth of rations. I also picked up three flashlights and some weird processed human candy. I figured I'd give it to Sonic later on, because he loves human cuisine.

When I returned to the Chao Company, Sonic and Knuckles were sitting on the steps, waiting for me. It was twilight by then, and the air had grown chilly. They got up when they saw me, and Sonic raced toward me so fast I threw up a hand to ward off a collision. He stopped a foot away from me, laughing. "You think I'd hit you, Zephyer?"

"You did this morning," I said, tapping his nose. "Are we leaving?"

"Yes," said Knuckles, striding up and shooting Sonic a dark look. "Some of the chao saw the kidnappers and gave the police descriptions. They were ... monkeys."

"Monkeys?" I exclaimed in outrage. Monkeys are a race of thieves and thugs, and the perfect type to kidnap chao.

"A gang of primates were seen travelling east early this morning," Knuckles went on, sounding like a newspaper article. "That's the direction we'll go."

"Lighten up, Knux," said Sonic. "We've got something to go on now."

"It's not your chao who's missing," said Knuckles. He stalked off, and Sonic and I followed him.

* * *

Travelling east from Sapphire City is easier said than done. East of the city is a mountain range, and east of that is a desert. Beyond that human maps are blank.

The human police escorted us to the place where they had tracked the primates, and we saw they had gone in a northeast direction. The humans were happy to point us after the kidnappers, but when Sonic asked them why they had not pursued them, the men hemmed and hawed without answering. Looking back on it, I wonder how deep the corruption went.


	3. Chapter 3

It was dark, but our flashlights illuminated the hand-like footprints of several monkeys and a chimpanzee. I pictured a chimp with a baby chao in its filthy hands, grinning a foolish grin...

The tracks led us away from Sapphire City and soon we entered the foothills, travelling over dead grass that rustled as we passed. We were skirting the mountains and moving into the wastelands north of the desert. Knuckles led, because he was the best tracker. Sonic roamed ahead and to either side, glowing a creepy greenish-blue, and I brought up the rear.

We walked for hours, driven by fear and anger, hoping our chao were unharmed. The night deepened around us and the stars blazed down like cold crystals, illuminating the landscape in milky light. I peered ahead, hoping to see the loping figures of the thieves. They had a day's head start on us, but they were carrying prisoners, and we were traveling light. That is, if they had not killed the chao. The thought sent a thread of ice through me, and I tried to walk faster.

"Sonic," said Knuckles, halting on top of a hill. Sonic whisked up to him as I climbed the last few feet of the hill. Knuckles pointed northeast. "Run that way and see what you find. These apes are moving in a straight line, and only you can overtake them now."

Sonic's teeth flashed in a grin. "You got it, Knux," he said, and dashed down the hill. We watched him flash over the next hill, and he was gone.

Knuckles looked at me. "How're you holding up?"

I was tiring, but I wanted to find Zinc more than I wanted to rest. "Good," I told him. "I hope Sonic finds something."

"Me too," he muttered, and trained his flashlight on the grass again. "Come on."

The hardest thing about being robotized is the weight. Most people don't notice the weight of their body as they go about their lives, but being robotized adds thirty or forty pounds of dead weight. I hardly notice it most of the time, but when I'm tired it wears on me. Merely lifting a foot takes an effort, and my chest refuses to expand when I take a breath. The result is a sensation like being buried alive.

Trotting along behind Knuckles, I felt claustrophobia begin, as it does when I'm tired, and fought it. You're out in the open, I told myself. There's nothing to crush you except your own idiot fear. Think about something else, like how it must feel to run as fast as Sonic.

Instead my thoughts crawled back to the day when I went to be derobotized, and they told me that because of my biometal, the derobotizer would reduce me to jelly. They demonstrated with a scrap of biometal they placed in the machine. My hopes for a normal life withered along with the scrap of metal that blackened, curled, and subsided into a puddle of steaming chemicals.

It's hard to accept that there are things you'll never do again, like swim, or feel the wind tug at your fur. Even the simple sensation of touch had been eliminated from everywhere but my face. My senses were clogged with a layer of ash-colored metal.

The attack passed and my breathing grew easier. I forced the memory of the derobotizer out of my head. "Knuckles," I said, "will Sonic be able to find us?"

"Yes," he said without taking his eyes from the yellow circle cast by his flashlight. "He'll see our lights."

We climbed another hill. For some reason I found myself thinking about Robotnik, the mad scientist who always had a hare-brained idea to take over the world. Robotization had been his favorite method of torture.

"Knux," I panted, "why did Robotnik try to collect the chaos emeralds if he can't use them?"

"He can use them," said Knuckles. "He uses them to power robots and machinery."

"But he can't use them like Sonic can," I replied as we descended another hill. "You know, to get superpowers."

Knuckles was silent a moment, then said, "I don't think humans can."

"Then why go after the chaos emeralds?" I said. "Why not something like the Master Emerald?"

Knuckles shot me a ferocious glare. "He did once."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Knux-" The time Robotnik had stolen the Master Emerald was Knuckles's great comeuppance, and Knuckles liked to pretend it had never happened.

His expression softened. "It's okay, Zeff. Actually, I don't think humans can use any of the power gems. There's no chaos in their blood."

"Then why'd they come to this planet?" I snorted. "We'd have been better off without them."

"Maybe," said Knuckles. "Not all humans are like Robotnik."

"Not every cloud has a funnel, I know, I know," I said, shaking my head.

Knuckles peered at me. "Not every cloud has a funnel...?"

I laughed. "Oh, something Dad used to say. Not every cloud would have a funnel, but it was about one in three." My homeworld was a barren wasteland, and the weather did every nasty thing it could think of, forcing our clan to live underground. Mobius had a milder climate, but sometimes I missed the violence of the colors in the sky, and the feel of the wind as it tried to rip open the cavern.

"Mobius is a gentler world," I said.

"We do have tornadoes in some places," said Knuckles. "You might like them."

"No," I said. "The only things I liked about them were the colors and the way the swifts played in them."

"What's a swift?"

"A giant bird like a swallow," I said, remembering the ones that nested in the upper caverns. "They were our friends."

A wave of hot air struck us without warning, knocking us flat. A thunderclap roared in our ears. I held my head and lay still, expecting an attack, but Knuckles scrambled to his feet, snarling, "Sonic, you idiot!" He helped me up, and we watched the blue comet that was Sonic circle around us, slowing down.

"What was that?" I said.

"A sonic boom," said Knuckles in disgust. "He was travelling above the speed of sound and nearly ran us over. Stupid idiot."

Sonic jogged up to us, glowing bright blue in excitement. "Hi guys. You won't believe it, you just won't believe it! I found this weird train track, so I followed it and it led me to this station and I kept going and there's this giant hole in the ground with a city in it!"

He paused for breath. "Go on," said Knuckles.

"So I went down there," Sonic continued, "and I've never seen people like this before. They're like turtles, but their legs and necks are more like a lizard's, but the best thing is the buildings! You guys just won't believe it."

"I already don't," I said, trying to keep up with his rapid-fire chatter. "Did you see any chao?"

"No, but that's where they've got to be," he said, his glow pulsing. "It's only a hundred miles or so." He held out his arms. "Grab on, I'll tow you."

"Sonic, no offense, but I'll break your arm," I said, thinking of my un-aerodynamic body.

"Okay, one at a time, then," said Sonic. He made Knuckles grip his arms from behind, then sprinted off into the night. I put Knuckles's flashlight into my backpack, and sat down to wait for Sonic.

I awoke to find Sonic shaking me. He was smirking. "Come on, I wasn't gone that long."

I sat up, brushing grass off me. "Sorry," I yawned, "but it's past my bedtime."

"Better hang on tight," he said, turning and having me slip my arms through his elbows from behind. "If you start to lose your hold, say something."

He took off and I was jerked off my feet. It was an uncomfortable journey because the G-forces were so intense. My feet never touched the ground, and I imagined I was hanging from a ceiling somewhere, and letting go meant plunging into unfathomable depths. Being half-asleep didn't help, either.

It was a shock when he stopped, because my equilibrium had to reorient itself. It was a relief to sit still.

Gradually I became aware that I was sitting in a grove of tall, spreading trees at the top of a hill. There were lights below the hill, and Sonic and Knuckles were silhouetted against them, looking down. As my dizziness wore off, I was able to stand up and look around.

My first impression was of glass: glowing glass of all colors. Glass in geometric shapes, like crystals. Or were they crystals? I squinted, trying to make sense of what I saw. It was like looking into a gigantic crystal bed, except the crystals were so large they had been made into buildings, with doors and windows. It was beautiful. No wonder Sonic had been chattering.

The tree rattled above me, and something slithered down on my head. I gasped and leaped to one side. As it fell to the ground, I realized it was a strip of fabric. I picked it up and saw it was a long silk banner attached to a stick. Curious, I peered up into the dark branches.

I was dazzled from looking at the crystal city, but I made out something up in the tree. As my eyes adjusted, I realized someone was crouching on a branch against the trunk, staring down at me. A human child. Something about the way it held itself told me it didn't want to be discovered. I waved. When it didn't respond, I held up the silk banner and made a motion as if to toss it up into the tree. The figure moved a little. I tossed the banner, and the child snatched it up and crumpled it against its chest.

I walked up to Sonic and Knuckles, who were oblivious to my discovery. They were talking in low voices. "There's nobody but turtles down there, Knux," Sonic was saying. "Monkeys will stick out like a sore thumb. All we've got to do is ask someone."

"We're going to stick out, too," Knuckles replied. "And what about Zephyer? She attracts attention left, right, and center."

"I'm glad you think so," I said, making them jump. "I thought of that, so I brought some spare cloaks." I lowered my voice. "Sonic, Knux, there's a human in the tree behind us. Don't look," I added, as their heads turned. "It's a young one and I don't want to frighten it."

"That's another thing," said Sonic, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "There's humans down there."

"But what's a young one doing out so late?" Knuckles whispered, trying to swivel his eyes toward the tree without turning his head. "What if it's a sentry of some kind?"

"No," I murmured, "I think it's lost."

"Should we leave?" said Sonic. "What if it follows us?"

"Maybe I can coax it down," I whispered. "Wait a minute." I unhooked my backpack and opened a side flap. There was the candy I had bought for Sonic. I took it out and padded to the foot of the human's tree. "Hi," I called to the pale figure huddled on the branch. "We won't hurt you. Will you come down?" I held up the candy where the child could see it.

It did not move, but I sensed it was thinking. Then it whispered, "You won't report me?"

"No," I whispered back.

The youngster unfolded itself and slid to the ground, trailing the silk flag. It snatched the candy from my hand and backed away, fingers tearing at the wrapping. It was a girl about eleven, and she was shorter than I was. Her clothing was made of silk, and it was too thin for the chill of the night.

"I'm Zephyer," I said, watching her stuff candy in her mouth as if starving.

"Kita," she replied.

I motioned toward the others. "Those guys are Sonic and Knuckles. We're here to find some chao."

Kita's eyes glittered in the light from the city, and there was more animal about her than about us Mobians. "Don't ask the Shellizaas for them."

"Why not?"

"They wouldn't like it," she replied through a mouthful of candy.

Sonic and Knuckles moved up, too curious to keep away. "Why were you in that tree?" said Sonic.

Kita's eyes flickered over him. "Business." She glanced furtively at the sky.

"Aren't you far from home?" Sonic persisted.

She looked at him sideways. "Yes. I'm trying to get back. But the Ghosts always catch me."

"Ghosts?" said Knuckles, dangerously close to sarcasm. I shot him a glare to shut him up.

Kita nodded, chewing, and again scanned the sky. "I never see them. I watch and watch and they always take me. Because of this." She turned around and lifted her shirt, and we saw a yellow glow under her skin along her spine. I heard Sonic catch his breath, as if he recognized it.

Kita pulled her shirt down and turned to face us. "You're outlanders, so you might help me, huh?"

"What do you want?" said Knuckles.

Kita looked crafty. "To get away from Diamonda."

"We want our chao back," said Knuckles, crossing his arms. "Help us and we help you. Deal?"

She stood and looked at him. Then her eyes lifted to the sky, and without warning she bolted.

We watched her slim figure leave the cover of the trees and race across the open, but it was flat for as far as the eye could see. "Should I catch her?" Sonic began, but Knuckles and I hissed, "Shh!"

There was a rushing noise overhead, as if something large were cutting through the air, then a spotlight shone out of nowhere and illuminated Kita in lemon-yellow light. She stumbled and lay still. The beam turned violet, and we watched as she was lifted by an invisible force and taken up into the hovering aircraft. I tried to make out its shape, but it was the same color as the night sky and I could see nothing.

Then Kita and the ship were gone. I looked at Sonic and Knuckles. "I have a bad feeling about this place."

Knuckles was speechless, but Sonic said, "No duh, Zeff. Um..." He looked around the grove. "This is a good place to wait for morning, don't you think?"

A few minutes later we were camped out under the trees, huddling close to the trunks as if to escape detection by invisible flying ships. I wrapped myself in a dark blue cloak and lay on the ground, nerves tense. Over and over I heard Kita's words ... don't report me ... the Shellizaas wouldn't like it ... to get away from Diamonda...

I can sleep anywhere, because no surface makes much difference to my metal exterior. I slept like a log the rest of the night, nerves notwithstanding. I'm a heavy sleeper. Sonic says he envies me, because he's probably the lightest sleeper there is.

I awoke the next morning to find Knuckles prodding me with his foot, looking wary. "Wake up," he said as I opened my eyes. "We're visiting Diamonda today."

"Why are you kicking me?" I said groggily, sitting up.

"Because you attack anyone who leans over you," he replied with a wry smile.

I smirked and stood up, shaking grass out of my cloak. "I have to wear this down there, right?"

"Probably a good idea," he said, moving off and gazing at the crystal city. "Hey Sonic, wake up."

Sonic lifted his head and yawned. "Aw man, it's so early!"

"If you don't get up, we'll eat your breakfast for you," I said, taking a box of rations out of my backpack.

He was on his feet at once. "Why didn't you say so?"

Human-made rations are boring things, and everything is canned or dried. But it was food, and we felt better for it. Then we walked down the hill toward the crystal city, which lay in shadow in its deep valley.


	4. Chapter 4

Geometry  
was never my strong suit, but here it reigned supreme. There were   
angles everywhere. The streets ran between and under the   
crystal-buildings, as straight as a ruler and branching off at all   
points of the compass. The buildings-or crystals-ranged from three sides  
to eighteen, and their multiple facets caught the rising sun. The   
colors were dazzling, ranging from violent primary colors at the tops to  
drab secondary colors at the bases. It was in the drab parts where   
doors and windows were carved, always matching the style of the crystal,  
and the insides were polished until they flashed.

The ground underfoot was warm, and there was the stinging odor of ammonia where the air was still. And hurrying to and fro, although it was scarcely dawn, were the creatures Kita had called Shellizaas. Like Sonic said, they resembled lizards with turtle shells. Some went on all fours, while others walked upright, something that puzzled me for the rest of my stay. They were green and had fancy paintings and engravings on their shells. None of them paid any attention to us. There were only a few streets that were heavily traveled, and the rest were empty. I did not wonder about this at the time, for my attention was occupied with peering in every window we passed for a clue as to the whereabouts of our chao.

"Stinking glass, all of it," Knuckles muttered beside me. I glanced at him, and he motioned to the crystals. "It's crystal. And it's still growing. I don't like the way this place feels." He stamped his feet on the pavement, which was made of crushed, glittering stone.

"Why not?" I asked.

He shook his head. "There's something wrong about it."

We rounded a corner and came to a river that cut the city in half. Steam rose from it in curls, and it was so clear I could see the bottom all the way across. "Check this out," said Sonic. "Hot springs!" He pulled off his glove and dipped in a hand. "Feels like a hot tub. Anybody for a swim?"

Knuckles touched his arm. "Sonic ... don't. It's probably full of chemicals and minerals and junk."

"But isn't mineral water good for you?" I asked.

Knuckles's eyes swept the street. "You don't see any turtles in it, do you?"

We looked around, and he was right. No turtles went near the water's edge. Sonic wiped his hand off and pulled his glove back on.

"Let's ask somebody about chao," I said. "Like ... oh ... you see any turtle police?"

We looked around, but saw no Shellizaas that looked like law enforcement.

"Maybe we could try a civilian, then," Knuckles said, leading the way onto a busier street. He motioned for Sonic and I to wait, and he approached a turtle with red designs on its shell. "Hello sir," he called, waving to attract its attention. The turtle blinked at him in astonishment. "Could I ask you a few questions?" Knuckles said. The turtle gave him a disgusted look and hurried off down the street.

Sonic and I watched as Knuckles tried over and over to get a turtle to speak to him, but they either looked insulted, or ignored him.

"I don't get it," muttered Sonic. "Why won't they speak to him?"

"Maybe they're racist," I said.

We watched as a turtle passed by close enough to touch without looking at Sonic or me.

Knuckles returned to us, fuming. "They ignore me! This is a city of snobs."

"Are you sure they speak our language?" I asked.

Sonic shrugged. "Let's see." He called the next passing turtle a crude word, and received an affronted glare. "Yep. They understand us."

"We've got to talk to somebody," I said. "Maybe you could jump on one, Knux." I was instantly sorry I had said it, for Knuckles said, "Good idea, I'll try that." And he leaped up onto the domed shell of a passing turtle.

The turtle screamed bloody murder, and the whole street attacked us. I was thrown aside and crushed against a glass wall by a thick, scaly hand. I couldn't move for the crowd, and could only stand and watch as the turtles knocked Knuckles down, and for a while he was lost from sight in the milling crowd. I don't know where Sonic went. Then they were dragging Knuckles away in a pair of bindings, and he was fighting like mad. "Run!" he bellowed over the noise of the mob. "Run, you idiot!"

It dawned on me that the turtles would dispatch me next, so I slid sideways along the wall, broke free of the crush, and bolted down an adjoining street. There were no alleys, no hiding places, and I could not hope to blend in with a bunch of shell-wearing lunatics. And where had Sonic gone? At the moment I needed to hide, so I ducked into the first empty doorway I saw.

The angles and corners of the room were tilted and un-parallel, but I had no time to bother with that. Off to one side was an alcove for a closet. I whisked inside, found a locked door at the far end and leaned against it, hoping the alcove itself would hide me.

I was inside some kind of store, but they sold weird items Shellizaas used to decorate their shells. Why hadn't they made the walls equal sizes? Looking at the corners gave me a headache.

The door behind me clicked, and the knob turned. I jumped away from the door and stood behind it. It opened slowly, and to my surprise, what emerged was a hand holding a little mirror. The hand had fur on it. It tilted the mirror to examine the corners of the alcove, and of course it saw me. I saw a pair of startled eyes reflected in the mirror for an instant, then the Mobian whisked out, grabbed me, and dragged me inside. The door slammed shut and the lock clicked, and for a few seconds I stood in silent darkness.

Then a light switched on, and I was looking down the muzzle of a bazooka. I followed its length with my eyes, and met those of the Mobian, who was squinting through the crosshairs. "Talk, girlie," he said.

I reacted without thinking, and squinted down the bazooka's muzzle. "You need to clean this thing," I said. I switched my left hand to my laser pistol and aimed it at his nose. "I keep mine cleaner than that."

If I ever get derobotized, I'll miss the weapons in my hands.

My captor didn't flinch. "Cute," he said. "Whose side are you on?" He was a rabbit, and his ears were pierced all the way to the tips. Each earring was made of turtle shell.

"I gather you don't like turtles," I said.

He smirked behind the crosshairs. "Don't call them turtles in their hearing." He lowered his bazooka, and I lowered my pistol. "You got guts, girlie."

I slumped against the wall and exhaled. Now my reaction had time to set in, I was terrified. I forced my face into a smile. "Thanks. Who are you?"

The rabbit rested his bazooka on its butt and unscrewed the muzzle. "I'm Jazz," he said. "I'm the natural enemy of the Shellizaas. I keep their population from growing too large." He grinned, showing his broad front teeth.

"I'm Zephyer," I said.

Jazz examined the muzzle of his gun and said, "You're right, it's dirty." He pulled a cloth and a ramrod off a shelf, and began to clean out the muzzle. The room we were in looked like a storage room for an ammunition shop, but there was a small bed in one corner, and a crate with carrot tops poking out of it. It looked like a hideout.

"So," said Jazz, "what's a cute girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"My chao was kidnapped," I said, watching his hands work. "When we started asking for help, they arrested one of my friends."

Jazz looked at me a moment, then resumed cleaning his weapon. "Sounds like your party was doomed from the first."

"Why?"

He gave me a surprised look. "Don't you know what they use chao for?"

"No." I frowned. "Is it bad?"

He busied himself with his gun. "I won't tell you, then. But forget about your chao. It's as good as dead."

I straightened up. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head. "Don't ask." He removed a shorter muzzle and an ammunition chamber from a box and screwed them on the stock of his gun.

"Please," I said. "Please tell me. They were only taken yesterday-maybe I could save them."

Jazz's ears drooped. "Okay," he sighed. "I can't refuse a lady." He flashed me a roguish grin and put on a bulky backpack. He picked up his gun and patted it fondly. "This is a T-D-1," he told me. "I've got all the attachments-flame-thrower, rocket launcher, pepper spray, you name it. Right now it'll unload an explosive-tipped .30 caliber bullet. Punches through turtle shell quite nicely." He opened the outer door, peered out, then led me out into the street.

When we stepped into daylight I realized that Jazz was the same shade of green as the Shellizaas. He looked up and down the street, then darted away like lightning. I stared after him, my mouth falling open. Sonic was the only one I knew who could run that fast. Jazz was out of sight in two seconds, and a moment later he was back, hardly panting. "Nobody's looking for you. Come with me." He strolled away down the empty street, looking as ordinary as any Mobian rabbit except for the gun under his arm. I pulled my cloak around me and followed him.

We kept to empty streets, but I saw Shellizaas hurrying past in the distance. They appeared angry, and I was thankful that Jazz knew where he was going. As we walked, I glanced up at the peak of a bright yellow crystal, and saw someone crouched up there. I waved. I'll never know how Sonic reaches some of the places he does, but there he was, on top of a hundred-foot crystal. He waved back, but did not move. It cheered me to know he was all right. He probably knew where Knuckles had been taken, and might have already rescued him. I continued following Jazz, but my mind was occupied with thoughts of how Knuckles was faring.

Jazz led me to a street that cut through a clump of short violet crystals, and pointed to the base of the largest one, where a door and windows had been carved. "Go in there," he said, leaning against the wall. "Once you've seen what you need to, get out. They won't appreciate a scene."

A scene? What did he expect me to do, shoot the place up? I had just faced him down, so why did he expect me to be fazed by maltreatment of chao? I entered, expecting to find a pet store or a zoo. I did not expect what I found. It was a big room with two troughs stretching down the center. Low stools were drawn up to this trough, and a few Shellizaas were lying on these, eating a lettuce-like stuff. It was the smell, rather than the furnishings, that helped me identify the place as a restaurant.

There was a raised platform at the far end of the room, and I moved toward it, wondering if they made chao perform in the evenings. I passed along the feeding trough and saw it was divided into partitions that held a turtle's serving. It was still early, and I wondered if the breakfast crowd came later.

A lone turtle was dining apart from the others. He had lettuce, chopped fruit, and a meat dish. I had passed by him before I realized what I had seen. I doubled back to look again. No way, I was seeing things. It couldn't be what I thought it was...

But it was.

I found myself in the street seconds later on my hands and knees, vomiting between sobs. How could they! How could anyone...! Not a chao...! These people were evil! Chao could talk! That was wrong!

The vomiting subsided, but my stomach still felt queasy. I sat back and tried to quiet my crying. Jazz was standing beside me, leaning on his gun and looking cynical. I pointed to the restaurant-how could any place so barbaric be called a restaurant?-and choked, "Why don't you do something?"

"I'm working on it," he said, "but I'm only one jackrabbit."

I wiped my face on my cloak and forced down the wracking sobs that threatened to burst forth. "Where do they keep chao?"

"I don't know," said Jazz. "They might just kill them and put them in storage."

I retched at the thought, and clutched my stomach.

A shadow fell over me, and I saw Sonic's red sneakers. "Zephyer!" he exclaimed. His feet turned to face Jazz. "What did you do to her?"

"I enlightened her," said Jazz, sounding amused.

"Enlightened her?" snarled Sonic. "And made her throw up like that? What the heck did you do?"

I looked up and saw Sonic's face was flushed as if he were angry, or frightened, or both. "He didn't hurt me, Sonic," I said. "These turtles, they ... they..." I felt bile rise in my throat and stopped.

"They what?" said Sonic, looking at Jazz.

"Eat chao," said Jazz.

Sonic was silent, and the color left his face. He looked at me, and I nodded and pointed to the restaurant-crystal. I half-expected him to throw up, but Sonic is made of stronger stuff than I am. He drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I knew I didn't like these jerks." After a moment he added, "I'm Sonic, by the way."

"Jazz Jackrabbit," said Jazz, and they shook hands.

"We've got a friend who was taken by the turtles," said Sonic. "How can we get him back?"

"What'd he do?" asked Jazz.

"Jumped on a turtle's back." I noticed Sonic was studying Jazz's earrings.

"Oh, he's an abomination, then," said Jazz. "They'll kill him. We'd better go find him before then."

I shakily stood up. "I'll go with you guys," I said. "This has been one lousy morning."


	5. Chapter 5

"You bet it's been a lousy morning," said Sonic. "Lead the way, Jazz."

Jazz flashed to the end of the street, then returned. I saw Sonic's eyes widen, then narrow. "All clear," said Jazz. He turned to zip off, and Sonic beat him to the end of the street. I plodded after them, grinning to myself-it seemed Sonic had discovered an instant rival.

They raced up and down the streets, turning sharp corners and casting dark glances at each other. The only thing that kept them from declaring a showdown was having to stop and wait for me. I followed them at a walk, too sick at heart to move any faster.

Shellizaas ate chao. They must have monkeys steal chao for them and hightail it back to this crystal city. No matter if the chao were expensive or rare or loved by someone. How would I break it to Knuckles?

I smelled ammonia, and we arrived back at the hot, clear river. Jazz and Sonic led me along it toward the biggest crystals in the center of the city. More Shellizaas appeared, all busy as ants, but I could not tell what they were doing.

After half an hour of walking, we arrived at a large square near the center of the city. It was surrounded by crystal-buildings the size of human skyscrapers, and a diamond-shaped pool of water dominated the center. A group of Shellizaas stood around this pool. Jazz and Sonic gave them a wide berth, and he and Sonic waited for me in a corner of the square.

Both of them were panting and eyeing each other, as if daring the other to admit he was tired. "Well?" I said.

Jazz motioned to a smaller crystal off to one side with bars in the window-holes. It was guarded by two monster turtles with spikes welded to their shells. "Okay," I said, noticing that unlike most Shellizaas, these two were staring at us. "What do we do?"

"Wait a minute," said Sonic, looking at the pavement. "Jazz, is this what the floor is paved with inside that jail?"

"Probably," said Jazz. "Why?"

Sonic looked at me, winked and indicated his knuckles. Then I understood. Knuckles amused himself by digging tunnels all over his island. Mere pavement wouldn't hold him long-it had to metal, and fairly thick metal at that, to stump him.

Jazz looked from me to Sonic and back again. "What?"

"He'll have dug out by now," I said. "It just depends on how deep and how far."

Jazz looked horrified. "Dig? You think he'll try digging? Here?"

"Why not?" said Sonic, looking smug. "He does it all the time back home."

"You don't get it, do you?" said Jazz. "I'll take care of the guards. You get in there and get him out." He dashed toward the turtle-guards.

Sonic and I ran to the crystal jail as the guard turtles snarled at Jazz. Sonic arrived first and peered into the little cell through a window. I jogged up and peered in, too.

Knuckles had tried to dig out, for there was a hole in the pavement several feet deep, but there was a foul smell, and Knuckles had collapsed to one side with a pained expression. The earth in the hole was yellow-green, and a pool of sickly water stood in the bottom.

The door was a slab of crystal, but it was locked. I wound my robot hands around the bars in the window, and Sonic grabbed me and took off at ninety miles an hour. The bars snapped out of the rock, and Sonic climbed inside and we hauled Knuckles out through the window. Knuckles was heavy, and it was all I could do to keep from dropping him on the cement.

Sonic vaulted out and crouched for a few seconds, drawing deep breathes. The atmosphere inside the jail was poisonous, and only the open windows had saved Knuckles's life.

Jazz ran around the corner of the jail and saw the three of us sitting on the ground. "I knew it," he muttered, helping us lift Knuckles. "We've got to hide him before those guards figure out the answer to a hundred times sixteen."

I whipped off my cloak, wincing as my metal body flashed in the sun, and threw it over Knuckles. Jazz's eyes widened, but he recovered himself and said, "Get him across the square to that statue." He dropped Knuckles and whipped his gun to his shoulder as the turtle guards rounded the corner of the jail, snorting and ready to kill someone.

Sonic and I hustled the limp Knuckles across the square as Jazz's gunshots echoed around the square. Dang him, didn't he have a silencer in that backpack of his? The statue was a turtle standing on all fours, and there was space under it to hide. We stowed Knuckles under there and retreated, waiting for attack.

All the turtles in the square looked up at the sound of gunfire, and were converging on Jazz, who had laid out one turtle guard, but had been jumped by the other. The green rabbit was struggling to escape the turtle's grip, but it was crushing him against its under-shell in a bear hug.

"It's gonna kill him, Sonic," I breathed.

"Right," he said, and raced off to help. Good ol' Sonic, always ready to help somebody in need. Then I realized his motives were less than pure, for Sonic snatched up Jazz's T-D-1 and yelled for the other turtles to back off. All he wanted was to touch that nifty gun.

Knuckles groaned. I forgot about Sonic, hurried back to the statue and peered under it. He was pushing back my cloak and blinking, looking ill. "Hi Zeff," he mumbled. "What happened?"

"No time now," I said, as Sonic yanked Jazz from the turtle's grip. "Keep that cloak on, we have to get out of this square."

Sonic and Jazz raced up to us, Jazz coughing uncontrollably, and making snatches at his gun in Sonic's arm.

"They're not happy about our jailbreak," Sonic remarked, jerking a thumb at the Shellizaas gathered around the fallen turtle. Some of them were moving in our direction. "Knux, come with me. Jazz, you make sure Zeff gets back to camp, okay?"

Jazz was leaning against statue's base, coughing, and could only nod. Sonic handed him the T-D-I with a lingering look at it, then grabbed Knuckles's arm and dashed away with the echidna in tow.

Jazz glanced at his gun with narrowed eyes, then jerked his head at me. The Shellizaas were loping in our direction, and they looked angry. Still coughing, Jazz broke into an easy run and I followed him into the shelter of the streets, in a different direction from the one Knuckles and Sonic had taken.

I felt conspicuous without my cloak. I was aware of the sun striking my metal, and every glint and flash seemed jewel-bright to me. Actually I was tarnished, for I had not polished myself in a month, but I didn't want to parade my greatest weakness in front of this hostile people.

The streets were deserted everywhere we went, and once in a while we saw a single Shellizaa hurrying by in the distance. Jazz stopped at a seven-way intersection. "Where's this camp of yours, again?" His coughing had subsided, and he was examining his gun for scratches.

"Um, it's on the west side of the city," I said. "In a grove of trees."

"Oh," said Jazz with a sneer. "So you guys are staying in the only cover for twenty miles. They'll never look for you there."

"You got a better idea?" I snapped.

"Sure," he said. "Hide in Diamonda, like me. There's plenty of vacant crystals. Take your pick." He selected a road leading off the intersection, and we jogged on.

"But this place is poisonous!" I panted. "Why stay down here?"

"I question I'd love to ask the Shellizaas," said Jazz. "I think it's because it has a rail station."

We traveled two more blocks of yellow crystals before we saw any turtles. "Hey," I said, panting, "is that the square over there?"

"Yeah, we're going around it," said Jazz.

I stopped and looked at the turtles-they were grouped around some flashing, fluttering thing. "Jazz, what's that?"

The green rabbit doubled back and followed my gaze. "Um. I don't know. Come on, let's go."

"Wait," I said. I wanted to see it closer, and the knowledge that the crystal city was nearly empty encouraged me. "Can we sneak up and look?"

Jazz huffed at me and slid off his backpack. He rummaged around in it and handed me a fat tube. "Here's my sniper scope. Look through it."

I held it up and fumbled at the zoom wheel. To my surprise I could see the turtles as if I were standing behind them, and as for the fluttering thing ... For a few moments it was hidden from sight behind the Shellizaas, then it bounded into sight, and my stomach gave a sick sort of wriggle.

It was Kita, the girl from the tree, and she was dancing. In either hand she held a short stick, and attached to these sticks was a pair of wide flags, red and yellow, like the one she had dropped on me. She whirled these in spirals and circles around her body as she danced, forming bright hypnotic patterns. She leaped and twirled, performing complicated steps and spins, her silk clothing floating about her.

Bound around her wrists and ankles were ornate silver bands I thought were jewelry until I noticed the one around her neck like a collar. I looked at the patronizing expressions of the turtles around her, and I realized that Kita was a slave. A dancing slave. I remembered the glowing thing in her spine, and the whoosh of the invisible ship as it retrieved her. "You won't report me?" She was a slave and had been trying to escape.

Now that my attention was on her and not her dance, I saw the hollows under her eyes and her ribs showing through her thin shirt. Of course-they wouldn't beat a delicate slave, but starving her was another matter. My heart bled for her as she performed for her masters, without hope, lost in her whirling red and yellow flags.

She leaped into the air for her grand finale, higher than I knew a human could jump. But she rose high and higher, twirling her flags, then turned a flip in midair and sank back to the ground. The Shellizaas applauded. One of them stepped forward, clipped a chain to her collar, and led her away. She followed him, rolling up her flags, head bent.

I lowered the scope and looked at Jazz. He had watched the dance through a smaller scope, and his ears were flattened in pity.

"Jazz," I said, "why do they have a human slave?"

He gave me a sidelong glance and took the scope from my hands. "Later. Come on."

We reached the camp without further incident, and found Sonic and Knuckles looking out for us. "What kept you?" Sonic demanded, trotting toward us.

"We stopped to watch Kita," I said. "She's a slave, Sonic."

Sonic frowned. "I was afraid of that. Hi, Jazz." He gave the green rabbit a dirty look, but Jazz ignored him and moved toward Knuckles, who looked better. "I'm Jazz."

"I'm Knuckles," said Knux, and they shook hands. I noticed Jazz stared for a second at Knuckles's enormous hand.

"Pardon my asking," said Jazz, "but what species are you?"

"Echidna, same as her," said Knuckles, jerking his head in my direction.

Jazz glanced between the two of us. "You related?"

"Not yet," said Knuckles. I felt my face grow hot in embarrassment, but he caught my eye and gave me the ghost of a wink to let me know he was teasing. "By the way, Jazz, Sonic just told me about what they do with chao. I think we need to find out where they keep them. Should we ask a turtle?"

"No, and don't call them turtles," said Jazz, his ears looking annoyed. "I suppose we could try the restaurant's back rooms."

Sonic had been standing off by himself until now, frowning down at Diamonda. At this point he turned around and asked, "Jazz, do they have a lot of human slaves?"

Jazz looked at Sonic without meeting his eyes. "Kita's the first one I've seen."

"Are there other humans here?" I asked.

When Jazz didn't answer, Knuckles stepped forward. "Answer her."

"Hey, I don't know you guys," snapped Jazz. "Why should I tell you my business when I only ran across you an hour ago?"

Knuckles held up his fists. "I don't like your tone."

Jazz lifted his gun. "I don't like your face."

I stepped between them, pushing down Knuckles's fists and Jazz's gun. "Stop it. We're all on the same side. If you want help saving the humans, we'll help you, Jazz."

He glared at me a second, then relaxed. "Okay. Fine." He lowered his voice. "The kingpin of this operation is a scientist-politician named Devan Shell. He's experimenting on humans here. Or I think he's here. All the Shellizaas here are his cronies from the universities at Carrotus." He motioned to the crystal city. "You'll never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."

"Is that why Kita has that thing in her back?" said Knuckles.

"It's a Chaos Drive," said Sonic tonelessly. He was staring at Diamonda again.

Jazz jumped. "How do you know what it's called?"

"Old technology," said Sonic, not seeming to notice what he was saying. "They had them on the ARK, they regulate chaos energy. Humans invented them. And now it's being used against humans by Mobians. How ironic." He spun around. "Jazz, I want a gun like yours."

"Let's worry about your chao first," said Jazz.


	6. Chapter 6

There  
were no chao in the back rooms of the restaurant, according to Sonic,   
who sneaked in when the turtle-chefs weren't looking. He said they had   
boxes of lettuce, but no chao. He'd even checked the freezers.

I stood in the chemical-smelling street and gazed at the flashing crystals with helpless hatred. Somewhere among them was my chao, alive or dead. There were no Shellizaas we could ask, and Jazz didn't know any more than we did.

"I think we should split up," said Sonic. "Jazz and I can run fast-" He gave Jazz a superior look, as if to say that he was faster than the rabbit "-and we can cover more ground. Maybe we'll find something."

"We're not leaving until we do," I said.

"Let's meet up by the trees at noon," said Knuckles. "See you guys."

Sonic and Jazz vanished in opposite directions. "Took care of those hotheads," said Knuckles. He shook his head in disapproval of their rivalry. "Anyway Zephyer, where would they keep ... food?"

I closed my eyes to quell the rising sickness in my stomach. "If they keep them alive, then they'll have kennels of some kind."

"Kennels smell," said Knuckles, eyeing the crystals around us, "so they'd put them on the outskirts, I'll bet."

"Great, so all we do is hike the perimeter of Diamonda," I said, sarcasm creeping into my voice. "This place is huge-it'll take days."

He gave me a mild look. "So it'll take days. Let's get started." He set off toward the hills outside the city, and I followed, regretting my cynicism. Neither of us spoke for two blocks, and the crystals around us changed to sky blue.

Knuckles broke the silence. "Thanks for springing my bail."

My conscience pricked me, and I said, "Sorry for being such a smartmouth."

He shrugged. "It's okay."

Neither of us spoke for a few minutes, then I said, "I hope Zinc put up a fight."

"Ditto," said Knuckles, "but about Chimera. I don't even know what he looks like now."

"Zinc will know him," I said. "Zinc wouldn't lose track of Chimera like that."

Chimera had regressed and turned back into an egg, and had just hatched again. I wondered if he would recognize us.

The crystals shrank as we left Diamonda, until they were a few scattered lumps of color. Knuckles stopped several times to touch their sides and examine their growth. Each time he frowned, as if puzzled or concerned. At last I asked, "What's wrong?"

"This place," he muttered, gazing at the stubs around us. "It's like a giant crystal bed. I don't understand it. This whole valley would have to be a caldera."

"Isn't a caldera the pit of a volcano?" I asked, alarmed.

"Yeah. But crystals don't grow in calderas, that I know of. None of this makes sense. There's not enough water."

"Sure it doesn't make sense," I said. "A bunch of turtles living in giant crystals and use humans as slaves. It wouldn't make sense with a dime and two quarters."

"Isn't that human money?" said Knuckles, but he wasn't paying attention. He was looking at a large smoky crystal a little way off. "Human money," he muttered, and strode toward it.

I jogged after him. "What? It's just an expression."

"You can get anything with enough money," said Knuckles, unrolling the hem of his glove. Tucked in it were two tiny glowing rubies, cut to resemble Chaos Emeralds. He handed one to me. "Hang on to this. It doesn't have any power, but they don't have to know that."

I don't know how he knew what was inside the smoky crystal, but Knuckles entered as if he had known about it all his life. It was a little shop stuffed with knickknacks, like a pawnshop. The corners were not square, but there were so many racks and shelves that it didn't matter. Behind the counter was a turtle with a painted blue shell and a monocle in one eye. He sized us up as we entered, and to my utmost surprise, he spoke to us.

"Welcome to Jaard's Accessories! We don't get many ... non-Shellizaas." He had a strange accent, and hardly opened his beak when he spoke.

Knuckles gave me a glance to tell me he would handle this. "Thank you for recognizing us," he said formally. "We're looking for a particular rare item, and are willing to pay a high price."

Jaard gazed at Knuckles and me, and I noticed his eye lingered on my robot hand, which was holding my cloak closed. "Yes," he said. "Of course. What is this item you seek?"

"Chao." I marveled at Knuckles's calm voice. I would have assaulted the Shellizaa by now.

Jaard parted his beak in a smile. "Chao," he said. "I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

Knuckles laid his glowing ruby on the counter.

Jaard's eyes popped, and he looked closely at the gem without touching it. "A Chaos Emerald," he whispered, licking his beak with a pointed tongue. He lifted his head and blinked at Knuckles through his monocle. "You mentioned chao?"

Knuckles nodded.

There was a moment of silence as Jaard stared at the ruby, and I knotted the fabric of my cloak in my fingers.

"Do you know where the white crystal is?" said Jaard.

"To the south," said Knuckles.

"Yes," said the turtle, his head jerking to and fro as if he were expecting attack. "Behind it is an outcropping, and beneath that is where they keep the chao."

Knuckles nodded. "Thank you, sir. And be careful with that jewel." As we left the shop, I saw the turtle picking up the ruby with a pair of tongs and screwing a jeweler's glass into one eye.

"I hope you did a good job cutting that thing," I murmured as we strode southward.

Knuckles was grinning. "I had those cut by a rock badger a few years ago. He did an excellent job."

I felt a lifting of my spirits for the first time in two days, but a feeling of dread settled on me at the same time. What if we were too late? I voiced this worry to Knuckles, who nodded. "I was thinking about that. I suppose we could firebomb the Shellizaas."

"I wish," I muttered, "although I doubt it'd burn. I haven't seen a tree or anything down here."

"It's the soil," said Knuckles, turning at a cross street. "If it almost killed me, it'd sure kill any plant life. I don't see why any species would want to live here."

"Our people had crystal farms," I pointed out, thinking of the grottos on the Floating Island.

"That's different," said Knuckles, peering south for a glimpse of a white crystal. "The crystal groves had caves to themselves. We knew how dangerous the environment is when you're growing crystals."

I looked at the looming pinnacles above us. "So how dangerous is this place?"

"Extremely dangerous," said Knuckles. "It'd lower your life expectancy by half. Does that one look white to you?"

He pointed to a tall, transparent crystal with frost clouding it halfway down. "Looks like it," I said, and we took a street leading toward it. We saw a few Shellizaas in the distance, but they seemed to cluster around the city square. It seemed odd to have all these roads and so few people, but maybe none of their females wanted to live here because of the poisoned atmosphere.

"How do you know where things are?" I asked suddenly.

He glanced at me. "The colors. Can't you tell?"

I shook my head.

"Colors are rankings on Mobius," he said. "Green is authority, for one thing. Red is a militant color. Neutral colors are the merchant-types. You've been here so long and you never noticed?"

"You don't do it like that in Knothole," I said defensively. "So I don't visit many Mobian cities. Sue me."

The white crystal was the tallest of several in a clump, and there were ordinary crates stacked around it behind fences. There was a long strip of open ground that looked like a runway, but there were no planes in sight. I wondered if this was where Kita had been dropped the night before.

We circled the crystals, looking for an outcropping with a door in it. Behind the crystals, in a little courtyard, we found a chunk of rock with a crystal door embedded in it. I was moving toward it when Knuckles seized my arm and muttered, "Keep walking."

I did. As we began our second circle of the crystals, I whispered, "What is it?"

"Don't you see them?" He motioned with his eyes to the stacks of crates, and I peered toward them. Then I saw a dark furry face peering at us from around a corner. And another. In one black paw I saw a gun held at the ready. It was the monkeys, keeping watch over the supplies.

Knuckles and I put two blocks between us and the watchful apes, and by the time we stopped I was seething. "I'll unscrew their heads one by one," I hissed. "Zinc's in there-we're so close-and those stupid monkeys-"

Knuckles was as angry as I was. "I knew it wouldn't be so easy." He punched a nearby wall and cursed in Old Mobian. I copied him and immediately felt better.

"So what do we do now?" I asked, examining my knuckles for dents.

Knuckles glanced back down the crystal blocks to the white tip in the distance. "We find Sonic and Jazz."

* * *

Sonic was waiting for us at the grove of trees outside Diamonda, and I could tell by the way he was capering around that he had found something. "Where were you guys?" he exclaimed. "I've waited ages!" Without waiting for us to reply, he went on, "You see that cliff up there at the north end? That's not a cliff, it's a dam, and there's this monster lake behind it. The whole place is hot enough to take a bath in."

"No kidding," said Knuckles, gazing toward the distant dam. "That explains how these crystals grew. Sonic, we know where they've got the chao."

"Great!" said Sonic, punching a fist in the air. "So why don't you go get them?"

"Guarded by monkeys," I said, letting fury creep into my voice. "They'd have shot us if we tried to get in."

"Oh, so you need a decoy," said Sonic. "Check. Want to do it now?"

"Sure," said Knuckles. "Then we'll feed the chao lunch and get out of here."

"Excellent idea," said Sonic. "What I wouldn't give for Jazz's gun! Have you guys seen him?" When we shook our heads, he grinned. "Good! Nothing personal, but he runs too fast." He galloped down the hill back into Diamonda, and Knuckles and I followed.

When we arrived at the white crystal, we found the monkeys hard to distract. There were twenty of them, and while Sonic could draw off most of them, there were always a few left to keep an eye on Knuckles and me. They made faces, gave us crude gestures, and chattered to each other about what nitwits we were. I wondered why Robotnik had overlooked these snots, because they would have made great guards.

"I'll decoy, too," said Knuckles to me. "Get in there and break out the chao."

"Okay," I said, hoping the door was not locked. "Don't let them hurt you."

"I'd like to see them try," he said through his teeth. He ran at a nearby wall, dug in with his knuckles, and began climbing up. The three monkeys crept toward Knuckles to watch this feat. I slipped around the back of the white crystal to the storage outcropping.

The door was a sliding crystal panel, and of course it was locked. I kicked it a few times, then investigated the edges for a lock. I found a metal panel with a slot in it, probably for a keycard. I morphed my right hand into my short sword and slid the blade into the slot.

The electric shock sent me to my knees, feeling as if my body had been liquefied. I pulled out my blade and sat on the ground for several minutes, trembling, before I realized the crystal panel had slid open a hair's breadth. I levered it open with my blade, and looked down a stairwell into darkness.

I had to rest at the top before I gained the strength to go in. Then I ventured through the door and down the steps, groping along the wall for a light switch. I located one at the bottom. It ignited a weak bulb in the ceiling, and I peered around in the gloom.

The air was thick with stinging chemical odors and the reek of feces, and pools of rancid water stood on the floor. Metal cages were stacked to the ceiling, and I could see movement through the mesh. I moved closer, dreading what I would find.

To my surprise, the first row of cages contained flickies, not chao. The little birds looked at me dismally. Beside them were young lizards of some sort. Beyond them were some kind of furry creatures that were huddled in the back of their cages. On it went, young Mobians of all kinds, too young to speak, all with a dazed, stupefied look. In the back corner I found the chao cages.

It was the darkest corner, and I checked all the cages. All but two were empty, and neither of the remaining two chao were silver.

I stood there for an eternity, staring at those two chao. Zinc was gone. Of course Zinc was gone. He was my chao, and the bad things always happen to me. I felt a burning sensation behind my eyes, and pressed a hand to my face. Wait, I still ought to look for Chimera.

I peered into the cages, blinking back tears, and whispered, "Chimera?"

One of the chao turned his head, and I recognized him at once. He still had his dragon-horns, although they were shorter now, and he was light brown instead of orange, but his eyes were Chimera's eyes-defiant and crafty. I worked the catch on the door and swung it open, then reached for him. He bit my metal hand, clinging like a bulldog. I opened the other chao cage. The other chao did not move, and when I touched it I realized it was dead. The fumes in this basement had overcome it.

Rage boiled up inside of me like a thundercloud, and I began throwing open the other cages, making a racket and cradling Chimera in one hand against my chest. The little creatures stared at me, then leaped from their cages. I pointed to the stairs, but they needed no urging. One by one they hopped or crawled or flew out of the noxious basement. "Get out of Diamonda," I told them. "Run uphill. Go as fast as you can." They may not have been able to talk, but they could understand me. They gave me thankful looks and hurried out. I followed once the cages were empty.

By this time Chimera had tired of biting my hand, and was watching the proceedings with interest. He gripped my hand as we climbed the stairs and emerged in clean daylight. I looked around for the monkeys, saw none, and slipped around the corner of the white crystal. All the prisoners had vanished.

Chimera looked up. I followed his gaze and saw Knuckles gliding high overhead like a self-guided kite. A gang of monkeys was perched on a ledge high up the crystal tower, pointing and gesturing in excitement. I knew Knuckles had seen me, and waved. Unfortunately my silver hand caught the sun, for the monkeys saw me.

One of them screamed angrily, and they poured down off the ledge with their teeth bared. I bolted up the closest street, but I was weakened by my electric shock and could move only at a jog. "They're gonna catch me, Chimera," I whispered to the chao in my arms.

Up ahead the crystals parted in an alcove. I ducked into it and found a smooth cement wall blocking my way. I pressed myself into a corner and waited.

I heard the scamper of many feet on pavement, and a second later the monkeys rounded the corner, running on all fours with their guns held in their tails. They laughed in triumph when they saw me, and switched their guns from their tails to their hands. I shoved Chimera under my cloak and morphed my other hand into my laser pistol, but I knew I was outnumbered. Where were Sonic and Knuckles when I needed them?

Something moved on top of the cement wall behind me. I saw the gloating looks on the apes' faces become gapes of fear, and their eyes focused on a point high in the air. As one they backed away and fled.

I turned and looked at the top of the wall. There was a thick metal pole embedded in it, supporting a red crystal roof high overhead. There were several of these poles, and behind them was a set of gleaming objects I thought were small black crystals.

Then it snapped into perspective. Those black crystals were giant claws on a massive foot, and the foot was connected to a scaly green leg ... my eyes traveled up and up, over curled wings and a serpentine neck, finally meeting the blood-red eye of a horned dragon, who was peering down at me.

The dragon was in a cage the size of a missile silo. I wondered how it held it in as I took in its bulging muscles and the glittering malice in the red eyes.

I heard footsteps behind me, and Sonic and Knuckles panting. "Zeff, are you all right?" said Sonic. "We thought they shot you or ... or ... something..." His words died away in a gasp. "Knux, look at the size of that thing!"

"Good grief," Knuckles muttered.

I couldn't take my eyes away from the beast's face. "Thank you," I said.

The vast head lowered toward us, and it pressed its pointed snout against the bars. The dragon was so big I lost perspective again. The nostrils sniffed, and the teeth parted. A deep rumble rolled over me, and it was several seconds before I realized it had said, "You are welcome." I was stunned by the creature's size, and could only stand there with Chimera under my cloak.

Sonic stepped forward. "You have our thanks, too," he said in a raised voice. "Why are you in that cage?"

The dragon shifted its attention to Sonic, and I felt my bewilderment subside. The rumble rolled out of its throat again, and again it was a few seconds before I translated what it had said. It was like hearing someone speak with a heavy accent. "I am a prisoner of the Shellizaas."

I tore my eyes away from the dragon and looked at Sonic. His eyes were glazed, and I sensed that holding the dragon's attention had paralyzed him. Behind us, Knuckles said, "Why don't you escape?"

The dragon looked at him, and I sensed its mind settle on Knuckles like a heavy blanket. "The bars are cold iron. I cannot free myself. But if someone were to open the gate..." I saw the claws clench, and its anger struck me like a wave of heat.

Chimera gave a fierce wriggle, shoved my cloak aside, and jumped to the pavement. He landed on all fours and growled a high-pitched baby growl at the monster above us. When he had a Chaos Emerald he transformed into a dragon, although smaller, and he would not allow a real dragon to outdo him in ferocity. The dragon shifted its attention to the tiny chao, and to my surprise Chimera did not cower.

Knuckles pushed forward and picked up Chimera. Chimera shot Knuckles a fiery glance, then allowed himself to be lifted, still growling. "Zephyer, Sonic," Knux said softly, "we should leave now."

I heard them withdraw, but something held me there at the dragon's feet. "If we could free you," I said to it, "what would you do?"

One of the red eyes fixed on me, and I watched the black pupil focus. "Destroy Diamonda."

"Would you ... let us go first?" I asked. "Maybe help us?" I kicked myself for the last question. Who was I to bargain with a monster the size of a warehouse? But the dragon was not offended.

"Free me and we shall crush the Shellizaas together." The bewildering sense of drowning enfolded me again, and my mind scrambled for footing. Then it released me, and I hurried away from the cage, not daring to look back.


	7. Chapter 7

We  
went back to the grove of trees above the aura of poison that hung   
over Diamonda, and opened a package of rations for lunch. I ate my   
portion, feeling as if a part of me was watching everything from a wary   
distance. Knuckles and Sonic played with Chimera, stroked him, and gave  
him the tastiest bits of their lunches. Chimera pretended to resent   
the attention, and gobbled down the food as if starved. He snapped at   
Sonic, but I noticed he never offered to bite Knuckles. I guess he   
remembered the slap he had received the one and only time he had bitten   
his master.

I might have been a million miles away from them. I made no attempt to fondle Chimera and ate mechanically, my eyes fixed on the horizon. Somewhere out there lurked a devastating amount of grief over Zinc. I would rather not think at all, and focused on the immediate problem of finishing my meal.

Jazz appeared as we were finishing lunch, and flopped in the shade nearby, mopping his forehead-fur with his red bandanna.

"Where were you?" asked Sonic. "We got back one of our chao, see?" He glanced in my direction and looked away.

Knuckles, too, avoided my eyes. "His name is Chimera, and he bites."

"That's okay," said Jazz. "I'm not interested in the small and cute. I've been looking for Devan Shell."

"Find him?" asked Sonic.

"Yup," said Jazz, fondling his gun. I knew what he preferred instead of the small and cute. "He's in the green clump over there." He waved a hand toward a patch of green in the distance. "I've been looking in all the wrong colors. His elite guards are there, so he's got to be there."

"Elite guards?" said Sonic. "Sounds paranoid."

"He is," said Jazz. "They saw me and locked down the area, so it's no use going back now."

"Why not outrun their bullets and try anyway?" said Sonic.

"They're too smart for that," said Jazz, annoyed. "They switched to pulse lasers a long time ago."

"Lasers only move as fast as their transmitters can turn," said Sonic, fidgeting. He took an implication that his speed was inferior as a challenge. So did Jazz.

"If you'd ever studied physics, Sonic-"

"Lasers can't hit you if you don't let them," snapped Sonic.

"Have you ever had a laser burn?" said Jazz, his self-control slipping. "Light moves faster than sound, SONIC."

"Are you telling me to shut up?" snarled Sonic, jumping to his feet.

"Of course not," said Jazz, laying back his ears and smiling. "I know you don't listen to advice."

Sonic moved as though to tackle him, but the rabbit whipped his gun to his shoulder. "Stop right there."

Knuckles rose to his feet. "Are you going to kill each other over this?"

"He insulted me!" yelped Sonic.

"If your head wasn't so thick-" Jazz began, and the three began talking all at once.

I got up and walked away. Raised voices were too much for me to handle. I walked until I could no longer hear them, and stood gazing across Diamonda's glittering expanse. It was beautiful beyond description, but the depravity beneath the surface was as putrid as the soil itself. Human slavery, eating sentient species ... and that was the tip of the iceberg. Who knows what other heinous acts the Shellizaas were committing within their glittering home. And the two Mobians who stood the greatest chance of stopping their evil ways were busy fighting each other. It made me want to go back and knock their heads together. Instead I kept walking along the rocky valley rim.

After a while I noticed I was moving toward the smooth cliff that Sonic said was a dam. I had never seen a dam before. Back on my homeworld, the only water came from springs in the caves. I focused on simple curiosity and forced back the paralyzing emotions that were brewing in my subconscious.

I walked for a long time, wondering if the boys were over their argument or if it had come to blows. Knuckles was as blockheaded as the rest-even more so, because he liked fighting more than Sonic did. Then I corrected myself. I was being unfair to them both-Sonic put his heart and soul into everything he did, and Knuckles was steady as a rock most of the time. But they both had tempers. With a blush I let my thoughts slip back to that private moment when Knuckles had proposed to me. Even now I wondered if I should have turned him down. He had not mentioned it since, and had spent his time entirely on the Floating Island. I wondered if he had changed his mind.

Which brought me by degrees to the present. His attitude toward me had been casual, but that was easily chalked up to worry about Chimera. And Zinc. Oh Zinc, my baby chao, you're gone and I can't get you back ... My vision blurred and ran together. I wiped away the tears before they could touch my metal. Why was life so unfair? Why did I have to be so helpless and useless?

I kept moving, not caring where I went, wiping my face. I was so afraid ... What am I afraid of? I wondered. The Shellizaas, the crystals-the beautiful mask that evil wore. The dragon's overwhelming presence had torn the mask and revealed the hideousness beneath.

My feet clinked on rocks, and I had to stop. Looking up, I saw a rocky ridge rose before me. There was a gap in the ridge to my right, and filling this gap was a smooth, buttressed wall. The dam.

I wanted to see the lake that Sonic had spoke of. I began climbing the rocky hillside, using the exercise as an excuse to forget my grief. Zinc wouldn't have wanted to see his mistress make a fool of herself, not after the last time. _"You let him die,"_ a voice in my head whispered. _"You betrayed him once to Robo Knux, and you betrayed him again to the Chao Company."_

That particular thought was nagging me when I reached the top of the ridge and looked down at Sonic's lake. It was purest blue, and so clear I could see boulders twenty feet down. The far shore was lost in the distance, and I could feel heat rising from the tranquil surface.

I walked out onto the top of the dam. It was smooth and level, and as wide as an airport runway. I walked along it, gazing at the lake on one side and Diamonda on the other. From here I could see that the valley was almost a mile deep. At the far end there was a wide channel where a river had once flowed. Who had dammed this river and discovered the crystals at the bottom? It must have been done years ago.

I glimpsed something flitting along the valley rim, and watched as a blue object streaked up the hill and out onto the dam. I threw up an arm, and Sonic skidded to a halt a few feet away. He was laughing. "Zeff, this is the second time! I'm not going to hit you!"

"It's reflex," I said, dropping my arm. "Are you over your fight?"

He scowled. "For now. I really don't like Jazz, he thinks he knows everything. What do you think of this view?"

"The view is nice," I muttered.

"Bet this whole area is a volcanic hotspot," said Sonic, hands on his hips. "I wish it'd blow sky high and take the Shellizaas with it." As I watched, he floated an inch off the ground and glowed faintly.

"So why don't you bust the dam?" I asked.

He looked down at it. "Maybe if I was hyper, but it'd take a while. One hedgehog isn't much against a hunk of cement this size." He walked off, peering over the edge and whistling though his teeth. I gazed at the sun sparkling on the lake, and wished Zinc could see it.

Sonic reappeared at my side. "Hey Zeff, want to leave now?" His eyes were wide, ears flattened.

"Why, what's wrong?" I asked in alarm.

He looked around at the dam. "Oh, I don't like it here anymore. Here, let's go." He grabbed my arms and fled off the dam. He was so fast I felt as if my internal organs were imploding, and I didn't breathe until he stopped halfway back to camp. He dropped me on my face, and when my lungs started working I gasped, "Why did you do that?"

He was pacing in a circle. "Didn't you notice the top of the dam was painted?"

"No." I climbed to my feet. "With what? Missile crosshairs?"

Sonic faced me. "Zephyer, the top of that dam is a runway."

"A runway?" I had noticed the dam was wide, but ... "How do you know? I didn't see any planes."

Sonic looked thoughtful. "I'll bet there's a lift. They probably keep them inside there." He sprinted off, and two minutes later was back. He looked even more worried. "There's four lifts. And the painted lines are made of crushed crystals, I'll bet they glow at night."

"So what?" I said. "It's kind of clever if you ask me."

"For one thing, I wouldn't want a Shellizaa to catch us up there," said Sonic. "Let's go back. I want to ask Jazz what kind of planes use that place. It might be where the Ghosts come from."

"I thought you were sick of Jazz," I said, rubbing my chest, which had no effect through my metal shell.

Sonic smiled. "Oh, he comes in handy sometimes." He whisked off, and I trudged after him, wishing I could run as fast as he could.

As I neared the grove of trees, I saw Jazz Jackrabbit flash past me in a blur of green. He was headed for the dam. Knuckles was standing with Chimera in one hand, and Sonic was pacing back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back. Knuckles was speaking as I walked up.

"What we ought to do is go back to Sapphire City and tell the humans that their young are being kidnapped and enslaved. Then an army could take care of this place."

Sonic snorted. "Oh sure, and cause the Second Great War. Once you rile up humans, there's no stopping them. I think us Mobians better deal with this."

"So let's get a Mobian army," said Knuckles. "There's only four of us, Sonic. We can't take down a whole city."

"But it's a small city," muttered Sonic, pacing. "If only we could break out that dragon. He'd do the job, I bet. Hey Zeff, did you happen to pack any plastic explosives?"

"No, they weren't on my list," I said. "How about you? You bring any Chaos Emeralds? If Chimera got one..."

Knuckles gave me a horrified look, and I remembered what Chimera had done the last time he had had an emerald.

"...Or not," I concluded.

"We're fresh out of emeralds," said Sonic. He scanned the eastern sky. I noticed the gesture and thought of his mischievous whispering with Tails before we left. So, he WAS plotting to meet him later.

"Thinking of home?" I asked.

"Tails," Sonic admitted. "He'd probably notice a structural weakness in the dam, put a rocket in a crack and blow up the whole shebang."

"I can do that," said Knuckles. He glanced at the dam in the distance. "Nope, no weaknesses."

"Oh come on," said Sonic. "It's got airplanes in it, so it must be hollow."

"You're right," said Knuckles, stroking Chimera absently. The chao closed his eyes in bliss.

Jazz reappeared and screeched to a halt with less grace than Sonic. "They're in there, all right," he said. "You guys probably didn't notice, but there's machinery running in there."

Sonic glanced at Jazz's ears and smirked, but said nothing.

Jazz paid him no attention. "I've been looking for their airbase for weeks, I never thought to check the dam! It's just like Shell. We'll sneak in there tonight."

"Why wait until tonight?" I asked.

Jazz looked at me and smiled. "Because Ghosts always come out at night."


	8. Chapter 8

With  
male prudence, Sonic, Knuckles and Jazz decided that I should stay   
behind while they sneaked into the airbase. Their excuse was that   
someone had to watch Chimera, but I knew what they were thinking. I'm   
the slowest, and my metal is a liability on a stealth mission. There's   
also the water issue. Robotics and water don't mix.

As the sun set, the three slipped away up the valley rim, leaving me with Chimera gnawing my metal fingers. I stroked him roughly, wanting to vent my indignation somewhere. Curse this blasted body of mine! I kicked one of my legs and sat down to await their return with Chimera in my lap. He wanted to fight, so I let him wrestle with one of my hands. He growled and rolled on the grass, biting and scratching like a ferocious kitten. And to think, he had taken on the characteristics of Knuckles. I wondered if Knuckles had been this barbaric when he was a kid, then thought of my own brothers and smiled. Of course. Boys thrived that way.

The darkness deepened, and crickets chirped in the grass. There were no crickets in Diamonda. A dull roar of activity rose from the now-glowing crystals, and their diffused light drowned out the stars. As night settled in, I found the city glare illuminated our little camp. Chimera kept trying to sneak off into the dark, and I was kept busy fetching him back. Thus I did not notice Kita until Chimera growled, and I saw her climbing the hill toward me.

The human was dressed in her thin dancer's clothing, and moved in quick jerks like a wild animal. From my vantagepoint above her, I glimpsed the glowing strip along her spine. I scanned the night sky for Ghosts, but none were visible.

She slipped into the trees and stood looking at me. "Hi," I said. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw you today," she whispered. "In the square. You guys attacked a Shellizaa?"

"Sort of," I said. "Knuckles was trying to get its attention."

"They've been looking for you," Kita whispered, dropping to all fours and shivering in the cool night air. "They're under orders to attack and kill you if they run across you."

I stared at her. "How do you know?"

"I heard them talking," she said. "My master works with Devan Shell. They know you're helping Jazz. You meddle too much."

"All we wanted was our chao," I muttered. "These people are evil."

She nodded. "Where are the others?"

"Checking out the dam," I said, gesturing in the direction of the lake. "They think it's where the Ghosts come from."

She peered that way with round eyes. "They do? I've always wondered..."

She made a sharp movement, and Chimera snarled. She looked at him. "What's that?"

"This is one of the chao we were hunting," I said, holding up Chimera. "His name is Chimera, and he bites."

She examined him, and I sensed that her night vision was poorer than mine. "I've seen these before. There's a silver one at the depot."

My heart stopped. It was a second before I could speak. "Does ... does it have horns?"

"Yeah, on its face," Kita replied. "Do you have any food?"

I fumbled open my backpack with one hand. Zinc-it had to be Zinc! There were no more metallic chao for thousands of miles, because they were imported from South Mobius. I handed Kita a package of rations, and she tore it open and wolfed the contents. I looked at her thin wrists and ankles. "We're going to get you out of here."

She glanced at me in disbelief and went on eating. After a while she said, "I could help you rescue that silver chao."

I must have had an odd look on my face, for she said, "I can tell what you think by your face. Like watching a dog."

This girl could be an ambassador someday. "Okay," I said. "He's my chao, and I want him back."

She gave me a sorrowful look. "I wish my Mom had come looking for me."

My heart gave a terrible wrench, and I reached out and patted her bare arm. "I'm sure she would have, if she had been able to."

She looked at me another second, then licked the ration wrapping, and slipped off down the hill toward Diamonda. I tucked Chimera under one arm, threw my cloak aside, and followed her.

The city noise and light engulfed us, and I squinted against the brightness of the crystal towers. Kita slipped along ahead of me, darting in and out of the thin shadows, and I followed her as best as I could, aware of the clanking of my metal feet. Chimera rode in the crook of my arm, smiling a wicked smile. He couldn't talk, but he seemed to understand what was going on.

Despite her thinness, Kita set a terrific pace and I had trouble keeping up. She had a knack for avoiding Shellizaas, and we stayed on empty streets.

The light around us changed to bright green, and I saw we had entered an emerald section. The crystals here were engraved with glowing patterns and writing. The architecture was angular and tilted to match the crystals. Bathed all in green light, it struck me as grotesque and nightmarish.

Kita darted into the shelter of a porch-like structure built onto a crystal and beckoned to me. I hurried to her, peering around the empty street. "I hate green," I panted in a whisper.

She nodded and touched a forefinger to her lips. Then she indicated a door in the crystal and motioned for me to help her open it. I gave the door a fierce tug with one hand, and it slid open. Kita whisked inside with me on her heels. I could feel my heart beating in my throat-Zinc was in here somewhere, trapped within this crazy green mass.

No corners were straight in the halls and passages, and the light dimmed as we pressed deeper into the crystal. I often stumbled and had to grope along the wall with my eyes closed, because the angles and unparallel corners upset my sense of balance. How could anyone live in such a place without going mad? I had to get Kita out of here. And what had they done with Zinc?

Kita led me around a corner, and we emerged into an outdoor courtyard. It was roughly octagonal, and paved with black stone. Glowing lines and shapes crisscrossed the ground, and I remembered Sonic saying that the top of the dam had phosphorescent lines on it.

Near the center of the courtyard was a neat pyramid of boxes, sealed, marked and awaiting whatever aircraft could land in this place. Kita did not move toward them at once, but stood by the wall, looking. She touched my arm and whispered, "The cage is in there somewhere. But you have to get it fast or the guards will catch you."

"What guards?" I asked. There was no sign of life in the courtyard.

"They're in the control room," whispered Kita, pointing to three bright window-squares in the crystals above us. "This shipment is leaving by Ghost tonight, but not until eight o'clock."

I had an idea it was nearly eight, but I hadn't had a watch in years. I set Chimera down by the wall, told him to stay put, then cupped my hands around my mouth and called in the loudest whisper I could muster, "Zinc! Zinc!"

There came a rustle from the pile. I called his name again, and I heard my beloved chao whisper, "Who is that? Who's there?"

I wanted to rush forward at once, but Kita held my arm. "Don't," she told me. "You need to know where he is."

"Zinc," I called in a whisper, "where are you on the pile?"

There was a moment of silence, then he replied, "The side opposite the entry doors."

So he was on the other side of the pile. I looked at Kita, whose face was sickly in the green light. "If any turtles come, I can't be seen here," she whispered.

"If they come, then get out of here," I said. "I have a gun and a sword, I should be all right."

She nodded and slipped into the shadows of the entry door, and I tiptoed up to the pile, willing my feet not to clank on the sidewalk. On the far side of the stack, waiting to go first on the plane, was a wooden box full of airholes, with "live freight" stamped all over it. Zinc's silver claws protruded from two of the holes.

"Shh," I whispered as I bent over the cage. "It's me, Zephyer. Lay down in the bottom, I'm going to tear the lid off."

"Zephyer, Zephyer!" I heard his voice dissolve into tears, and a powerful mother instinct welled up inside me. I turned my right hand into my sword blade, forced it between the box and the lid, and pried it open. I used such force that the tape and staples fastening the lid splintered, and then I was lifting out a joyful, wriggling silver chao.

I hurried back and picked up Chimera, my heart beating so fast I was almost smothering. I wanted to laugh out loud and scream Zinc's name, and he wanted to do the same. He did attack Chimera as soon as I picked him up, and the pair had a jubilant scuffling match in my arms. But we were interrupted by a voice.

"What the Ghenna are you doing with my cargo?"

I spun around and saw a Shellizaa standing on the other side of the courtyard, where there was a doorway I had not seen. His shell was painted purple, and he wore a pair of round glasses on his snout.

"This chao belongs to me," I said. "I'm taking him back."

"That is a rare silver chao, and it has been sold for a high price," said the turtle, pacing forward with an ugly expression. Zinc and Chimera growled in unison. I backed toward the entry door, and as I did, the turtle's eyes swept me from head to foot. "You're an echidna," he said. "A robotized echidna." His expression became hungry, and he licked his beak.

He stopped. "Don't go, please," he said. "I would love to see how your robotization was accomplished."

I paused in the doorway-Kita had already fled-and stared at the turtle. So he wanted to disassemble me, was that it?

"It wouldn't hurt much," he said, "and you could have your chao back when I was through."

"No way," I said. "I didn't know slime such as yourself existed outside of Robotropolis."

The Shellizaa grinned, but his eyes looked hungry. "I am honored to have my work rated alongside that of Dr. Robotnik's. And now a sample of his work is within my grasp." He sprang forward.

I sprinted down the zigzag path and into the insane corridors of the green crystal. "Zinc," I said, "what were they doing to you?"

"I was being sold," came his voice in my ear. He was looking over my shoulder, clinging to my hair with his claws. "You know how valuable I am. That's why they kidnapped me, too. I'm so glad you came! The guy who bought me wanted me for 'breeding purposes', it said on the invoice."

My insides twisted in revulsion, and I vowed in that instant to never let Zinc out of my sight again.

The green light around me brightened, and I emerged into the night air in the same empty street as before. I paused to look for Kita, and saw the Shellizaa was pursuing me down the hallway, as soft-footed as a cat, his glasses catching the green light. I bolted up the street.

Chimera was a constant growl in the crook of one arm, and Zinc hung across my shoulder, peering back and hissing a string of curses under his breath. I glanced back and saw the lone Shellizaa galloping after me, an insane light in his eyes. Good night, he was fast, and I was slowed by the weight of the two chao. I morphed my left hand into my laser pistol. I could handle one turtle.

A sound drew my attention up the street, and I saw Jazz run up a cross street on business of his own. "Jazz!" I screamed. "Jazz, come back!" The turtle was gaining on me. I imitated Zinc and cursed him under my breath, and looked for a niche or alcove along the crystal walls that I could use as cover. But there were none.

I swerved, set down Zinc and Chimera against a wall, whirled and fired at the oncoming Shellizaa. My panting made the shots go wide, but the turtle dodged sideways in surprise. He sank to one knee and aimed a tiny weapon at me. I planted a laser pulse in his belly, but it was deflected by his shell. I drew a bead on his face, and felt a projectile impact on my chest. It knocked me into the wall and for a second I saw stars. I heard Chimera snarl, and Zinc shouted an insult. I crawled in front of them and pointed my pistol at the turtle, but he shot me again and knocked me flat. The bullets were too small to penetrate my armor, but they were punching sizeable dents and left me winded. I could hear him laughing, and I wished I had a knife to throw at him.

Then the turtle whirled and looked up the street, the smile fading from his face. Jazz was standing at the end of the street, and even from a distance I could see the hatred dancing in his eyes. He whipped his gun to his shoulder, and the turtle bolted. I threw myself over the chao as Jazz launched a set of rockets that lit the green street with honest yellow light, and deafened me. Burning stuff struck my head, and I covered my head with both arms. I saw Chimera standing up, his eyes fixed on the firefight with an expression of bliss. Zinc was curled up with his paws over his face.

The noise faded, and I lifted my head. The street had three craters blown in it where the Shellizaa had been, and smoke hung on the green air. Jazz stalked up to me, his gun smoking. It had a burly-looking rocket rack screwed to it. "You okay?" he asked, helping me up.

"Yeah, I think," I said, rubbing the dents in my metal. "Did you get him?"

"Naw, he was too fast," said Jazz, his eyes burning.

I picked up Zinc and Chimera, noticing that both pairs of eyes were fastened on Jazz gun. "Who was he?"

"That was Devan Shell," said Jazz. "Why in the world was he after you?"

"I took Zinc from him," I said. "He wanted to experiment on me or something."

Jazz glanced at my robotized body. "Yeah, Devan would probably love to build a robotizer. Well, we can't let him get his hands on you. He commits enough atrocities as it is. Let's get out of this stinking filthhole."

Suddenly I looked at Jazz. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at the dam!"

"I was," said Jazz, straightening his headband. "We ran into a ... complication."

He set off at a quick walk, and I hurried after him. "What do you mean, a complication?"

"Your friend Sonic," said the rabbit over his shoulder. "Does he think the world is some kind of joke?"

"Um," I said, not sure how to answer that.

"He thought it'd be funny to hijack a Ghost," Jazz went on. "But he didn't understand the controls and set off the alarm."

"What?"

"The lights started flashing and the Ghost started beeping and carrying on ... When they tried to catch him, the blinking moron put up a fight, tore the side right out of the plane. They subdued him and took him away."

"Subdued him?" I said. "How do you subdue Sonic?"

"Well, Knuckles and I are afraid they killed him," said Jazz. "We're on our way to the landing strip at the white crystal."

"They wouldn't kill him," said Zinc. "Torture him, yes, but not kill him. Devan's trying to find a way to exterminate Jazz."

Jazz looked over his shoulder, ears lifting. "Is he, now? How do you know, Silverfish?"

"I'm Zinc," said my chao. "I heard him talking about it. I'm good at playing dumb." He winked at me, and I remembered how much he loved espionage.

"I get it," muttered Jazz to himself. "So they'd use Sonic's speed against me ... I guess we'd better rescue him, then."

"What, you mean you weren't planning on it?" I snapped. Jazz shrugged and didn't answer. I looked down at Zinc. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"No, I'm too valuable," said Zinc. "Devan did run a few tests on me to see how I grew. He's obsessed with Chaos power."

Jazz looked at Zinc. "Chaos power? As in Chaos Emerald power?"

Zinc nodded, and Jazz's brow furrowed. "I should have guessed he'd go that direction. All the more reason to destroy this place." He pulled a new attachment out of his backpack and began to attach it to his gun. This one was a fat cylinder full of holes.

"What's that?" I asked, as both chao watched Jazz with interest.

"Gatling muzzle," said Jazz. "Makes a lot of noise with the right ammunition."


	9. Chapter 9

The  
colors of the crystals around us changed as we walked, and soon we   
came to the white crystal, surrounded by crates and watchful monkeys,   
even at night. The airstrip was empty.

"Did they drop him off already?" I whispered.

Jazz and I were standing around a corner from the white crystal, out of the range of vision of the guards.

Jazz peered out with one eye. "There's nobody moving around. Maybe they did. You see Knuckles anywhere?"

I scanned the walls. He could be anywhere, just as hidden as we were.

The chao whispered together in my arms, and Zinc stated, "Chimera senses him, so he's here somewhere."

"Sense him?" said Jazz, lifting an eyebrow. "You mean you little guys are psychic?"

"No," said Zinc. "We're just extra-sensitive to the smell and movements of our masters." His tone was condescending, and I fought to keep from grinning. Jazz grunted and peered at the empty airstrip. Then he waved me back and flattened himself to the wall.

Descending without a sound into the light of the city was a Ghost. It moved like an extension of the night sky, and was shaped like no aircraft I had ever seen. It reminded me of a bat-sleek, smooth, with wide square wings. It landed on three spidery legs, and a door irised open on the underside. A Shellizaa climbed out, and four monkeys scampered out to it. Between them they hauled Sonic's limp body out of the craft.

"I'll distract them," said Jazz. "You come after and get him away."

"Okay." I set the chao on the ground near the wall, but before I could do anything else, Jazz rocketed out of hiding, firing as he ran. The gun was so loud I felt my teeth rattle in their sockets, and sparks exploded everywhere. The monkeys scattered with shrieks, and the Shellizaa dropped and pulled into its shell.

I bolted after Jazz and glimpsed Knuckles running parallel to me. We reached Sonic at the same time, and we put Sonic's arms over our shoulders and lifted him. Sonic groaned-there was a nasty gash on top of his head, and his blue quills were stained purple. "Great, he's alive," panted Knuckles. As we half-dragged Sonic out of the open, he added, "What are you doing here?"

"Kita helped me rescue Zinc, he was being sold," I said. "Sonic, if you could walk it'd help a lot."

"I have a splitting headache," he moaned, struggling to get his feet under him. "Note to self-exit planes by doors, not through walls."

More firing erupted behind us as we ducked around the corner where I had left the chao. Knuckles scooped up Chimera with his free hand, and I picked up Zinc, who stared at Sonic. "Gee, what happened to him?"

"You found Zinc," said Sonic, squinting at the silver chao. "Can we go home now?"

"Let's get out of this city first," said Knuckles, and he and I set off at a near-run up the street.

We ran two blocks and had to slow down. I couldn't avoid Shellizaas the way Jazz and Kita did, and we had to retrace our steps to avoid a busy thoroughfare.

"Zeff," panted Knuckles, "have you been shot?"

Sonic's head jerked up, and they both looked at the bullet-dents in my metal.

"They didn't go through," I said, peering up and down an intersection. We had more important problems than my health.

"Are you hurt?" Knuckles asked, and from the look on his face I knew he was ready to drop Sonic right there.

"No," I said. "I'm fine. Sonic, can they track you from a Ghost?"

We looked up at the sky, but the brightness of the crystals drowned out all the stars. Ghosts were invisible up there. "I don't know," said Sonic. "The insides of those things are bizarre. You ride on your stomach." His mouth worked fine, but he had trouble standing. His eyes were glazed with pain.

Jazz appeared in a rush of wind, changing gun attachments as fast as his hands could move. "This way," he said, and darted up a wide, empty avenue. We followed.

I didn't realize our danger until we were hoisting Sonic up the hill toward our grove of trees. I glanced back over Diamonda and saw Ghosts swooping over the city, black against the glare. I said nothing until we were under the trees, and Knuckles and I were raiding my backpack for the first-aid kit I had packed.

"Ghosts," I said, and pointed. Everyone looked, and I saw the fur rise along Knuckles and Jazz's backbones.

"They were close," said Jazz through his teeth. "Good thing you don't have that thing in your back the way the slaves do."

Sonic said nothing. He was lying with his eyes closed, and only his hand stroking Zinc showed he was awake.

Knuckles helped me wrap Sonic's head with gauze and cotton, but it was tricky in the dark, and not being able to see Sonic's wound. Then I gave him a painkiller pill and told him to lie still until it took effect. He obeyed and lay with his head turned, watching the hunting Ghosts.

"They're really ticked off," I said. "Jazz, did you kill any turtles?"

"I tried," said the rabbit, "but I was using my smallest caliber because I didn't want to hurt Sonic. If I'm lucky I took out some eyes."

I picked up Zinc and he snuggled his head into my neck and sighed. I watched the black ships sweep toward us. They were scanning every inch of the city. "What if they come out here?" I asked. I looked at Knuckles, and he looked at Jazz. Jazz was attaching new parts to his gun and ignoring us. "Jazz?" I said.

"Oh," he replied, looking up. "This is SAM." He patted his gun, which now was braced on four legs and had two monster rockets mounted on it.

"Tails would love that thing," said Sonic.

From his spot under my chin, Zinc whispered, "It means Surface to Air Missile, Zephyer. It's for blowing up airplanes."

"Oh," I whispered back, glad I had not had to ask.

Sonic lifted his head and stared into the darkness in the opposite direction of Diamonda. "Zeff," he murmured, "do you hear that?"

I looked out into the dark hills, but could hear nothing.

"It's gone now," said Sonic, lowering himself back to the grass.

"Maybe there's a Ghost out there," I said, and wondered if my metal would show up on radar. I sat down at the foot of a tree with the idea to get as low as possible.

Knuckles walked up and stood over me, arms folded. "Jazz is a weapons maniac," he whispered. "He's hoping they'll come here, nevermind that they'll find us."

"Sonic thinks there's one out there," I said, inclining my head toward the western hills.

Knuckles looked and listened for a long moment. Sonic lifted his head again, and for a second I thought I heard a faint mechanical purr from the dark sky. Then the airs shifted and the sound was gone.

"Something's out there."

The very words struck dread into my marrow. And there was nowhere to hide but under the scanty protection of the trees.

Knuckles crouched beside me, elbows on knees, and set Chimera on the grass. Chimera sat where he was placed, eyes shining in the shadows as he peered at the sky. One Ghost broke off from the rest and flew toward us, blending into the darkness as it left the light of Diamonda. A moment later a searchlight flicked on, and I watched the disembodied beam sweep the hillside. It moved south, away from us, but another searchlight appeared and swept toward us. I bowed my head over Zinc. Knuckles tensed, and Sonic sat up and got his feet under him. Jazz sat beside his missile launcher and gazed upwards.

The searchlight raked our grove, outlining every leaf in brilliant white light and black shadows that moved and swirled and vanished as the light moved on. They had missed us.

There was a sound like the roar of a blowtorch, and Jazz launched his missiles at the source of the spotlight. "No!" Knuckles bellowed, but his words were drowned out as the sky exploded in bright hot flame. Engines shrieked, and the Ghost crashed on the hill above Diamonda in a ball of fire.

"Ha!" Jazz laughed, loading another two missiles onto his launcher.

"What did you do that for?" roared Knuckles. "You gave us away!"

"Their only weapon is the beam," said Jazz, too euphoric to heed our danger. "I'll thin their ranks tonight!"

Our shelter was illuminated on all sides by searchlights. The sky was crowded with Ghosts, and I sensed the anger of the pilots from the jerks of the beams. I looked at Knuckles. "What if they have stunners? They stunned Kita!"

"Then we've had it," said Knuckles. "Blast Jazz and his-" His voice was drowned out as two more missiles turned a Ghost from a plane to a mass of burning rubbish. It crashed uncomfortably close, and the light from its fire illuminated our hiding place.

A venomous yellow light stabbed into the trees. It swept across the grove, and I heard it stir the leaves as it passed. We shrank aside and it left us unharmed. Sonic glared up through the tree above him and growled, "Come down and fight, coward."

Even with the sky above us filled with diving, teeming Ghosts, the only sound from them was the whoosh of air over their wings. How could a machine be so quiet? Another one dropped from the sky, a victim to Jazz's rockets, and he laughed aloud.

"Pyromaniac," Zinc spat from the shelter of my arms.

The grove was pierced from every angle by bright yellow beams, and I covered my face, bending over Zinc to protect him. "Drop!" someone yelled, and I heard thuds as everyone threw themselves flat. I pressed myself against a tree trunk and crouched as low as I could. The beams didn't seem to do any harm, possibly because trees and leaves broke them up. I dared to open my eyes, and saw with horror that Ghosts were landing all around us, sleek and deadly. Zinc saw them, too, and remarked, "Well, we're dead."

Suddenly Sonic jumped up, the bandage on his head a startling white in the darkness. "That sound!" he exclaimed, staring into the sky and ignoring the Ghosts. "That's not a Ghost!"

It dawned on me that I had heard the drone of an engine for several minutes, but had been too distracted to notice.

Knuckles lifted his head. "Why? What is it?"

"It's Tails!" Sonic cried, half-laughing. "The biplane! He's here!" He ran into the open, waving and shouting Tails's name. Stun beams swept after him, but he was already gone. I guess the painkiller had started working.

Knuckles jumped up. "Jazz, there's a biplane coming in, don't shoot it. It's ours."

"You don't say," said Jazz, targeting a Ghost, eyes wide and unblinking. "I'll let it through, then." He launched a rocket and another plane crashed in a fiery explosion.

The noise of the biplane grew louder, and I glimpsed ordinary blinking aircraft lights against the starry sky. Then I heard the rattle of its machine gun.

Ghosts leaped from their half-landed positions, as three cartwheeled and impacted on the ground. The biplane swept overhead, and I glimpsed the undersides of its twin wings as it passed. "Bless you Tails," I whispered.

Knuckles shoved Chimera into my arms and commanded, "Run south, we can't stay here!" He pushed me in the right direction, and I ran out into the open. I could hardly see after the firefight, and I stumbled on the uneven ground. Above me were the whistles of passing Ghosts and no more searchlights were visible. Tails had upset them, and they were swarming like a stomped anthill.

Behind me, Jazz was firing rockets as fast as he could go. Chimera was struggling to get down and go back, and I had a hard time holding him. At last Zinc sank his claws into Chimera's arm, and Chimera stopped writhing.

I slowed to a walk, straining to see through the darkness. What we needed were more trees, but it was as open as far as I could see. "Zinc, do you see anywhere to hide?" I asked, hoping his eyes were stronger than mine.

"No," he said after a moment. "Maybe you could find a hollow in the ground."

"That's not much protection from above," I said. But I paid closer attention to the rise and fall of the land.

Further on I felt the land dip, and I descended into a fold in the hills. I crouched there in the deeper darkness and set down the chao, who were heavier than they looked. "Are we safe?" asked Zinc.

"Not sure," I said. "Hold on to Chimera. I'm going to see what's happening." I climbed to the top of the fold and peered toward our grove. There were scattered fires all around it, and half-seen things moved to and fro in the sky. I was so busy watching the Ghosts fly that I nearly missed Knuckles, who was walking stealthily and peering from side to side. I called him and he trotted toward me and stumbled down the side of the fold. "What's this?" he asked.

"A streambed, I guess," I said. "It's not as good as the trees."

"It'll do for now," said Knuckles. He handed me my backpack. "I saved the food."

"That's the important thing," I said, grinning and knowing he couldn't see me. "Where's Sonic and them?"

"Sonic's off being a loon," said Knuckles with a touch of sarcasm. "Jazz is packing up SAM. I don't know what Tails will do-he can't land on a Shellizaa airstrip."

"Can he land out here?" I asked, looking at the plain.

"Sure, if he had some lights to guide him," said Knuckles. "I hope he doesn't crash after saving us."

There was a whoosh of air and Jazz flashed past us. Knuckles yelled after him, and he doubled back. "Where are you guys?" he called, and fell into the ditch. "Oh, here you are," I heard him say.

Knuckles and I scrambled down the slope, and I sensed Knuckles's restrained fury by his heavy breathing. "Jazz, why did you shoot those planes?"

"To thin them down," said Jazz. His eyes gleamed in the darkness with manic energy. "There's too many Ghosts in Diamonda."

"You could have got us killed!"

Jazz smiled. "Does that upset you? I am sorry."

Knuckles moved as if to hit the rabbit, but I grabbed his arm. "Don't," I whispered. He whirled on me with bared teeth, but I grabbed his other arm. "Don't," I repeated.

Knuckles stared at me a long moment, then relaxed and turned away. I let him go and he stalked back up the hill to check on the aerial dogfight. I turned to Jazz. "Consider your future face-pounding postponed, not canceled."

"I never asked you to hang around me," he snapped. "You got your chao back. Now go away and I won't have to put you in danger."

I gazed at him as he began to remove bolts from his gun. He was right. We had got what we came for, and no one would blame us for leaving. I looked toward the glow on the horizon that was Diamonda. I never wanted to see it again, and yet Kita was still there ... and the dragon ... Was it possible to help them? If not, perhaps we could send help. And to heck with talk of a Second Great War.

I heard the faint whisper of a passing Ghost, and shrank down to the grass. Another followed it as they soared above the hillsides, looking for us.

I heard the biplane's engine again, and looked up. It was flying toward us, and there was a burst of gunfire from its mounted weapon. The Ghosts winged away.

Sonic appeared, glowing a dull yellow in his excitement, and raced ahead of the biplane. He moved so fast that he seemed to leave trails against the darkness. A little way beyond it he turned and began to dart back and forth, creating a long rectangle with his glowing body. I climbed up beside Knuckles to see better. "What's he doing?"

Knuckles was silent a moment. "Oh, I see. He's outlining a place for Tails to land."

"Will that work?"

Knuckles shrugged. "Maybe. Tails doesn't have much choice, unless he has more fuel than I think he does."

We watched the biplane descend, its wings and tail tipped with red and green lights. We watched as it coasted down and bounced to a stop, Sonic streaking up and down to outline a rough runway. I admired Sonic's concentration, and Tails's trust in him. I would have bailed out had I been in Tails's place.

After a few minutes Sonic and Tails jogged up. Sonic was tired out, for his glow had faded, but Tails was Mr. Adrenaline.

"Did you see that?" he screamed in a whisper as they reached us. "I landed on bumpy ground in the dark with Sonic as a guide! That's totally unheard of! And did you see those black planes? They're so fast! Did you get the chao? Did you see those giant crystals? Who's that?" The fox stopped and stared across the fold at Jazz, who was adding some new accessory to his gun and ignoring us.

"Oh, that's just a loser," said Sonic, throwing himself on the grass. "I'm gonna sleep now. If you wake me up, no matter what for, I'll kill you."

"Why, what's his name?" Tails persisted, ignoring Sonic's threat.

"His name is Jazz Jackrabbit," said Knuckles. "He's got a vendetta against the Shellizaas."

"The what?"

I glanced at Sonic, whose eyes were closed. "Come down here," I said, guiding Tails to the bottom of the ditch. "We'll fill you in. How'd you find us, by the way?"

"I gave Sonic a tracking device," said the fox with a shrug. "He turned it on yesterday and I was able to find you guys. You sure are a million miles from nowhere."

"Good thing," I said. "Let me tell you about these Shellizaas ..."


	10. Chapter 10

I  
awoke at dawn the next morning, curled in a dip in the ground at the   
bottom of our ditch. Zinc was burrowed under my head for warmth. Tails   
was curled up nearby, his two tails pulled over his body like a   
blanket. Sonic was asleep where he had laid down the night before, and   
Jazz was sleeping with his gun cradled across his chest. Knuckles was   
nowhere in sight. The sky was murky blue, and my metal body was beaded   
with dew.

I lay still and thought about the previous day. No wonder I felt tired. We had rescued both chao, met Shellizaas and a dragon, and saved Sonic from a fate worse than death.

I listened to Zinc's breathing in my ear, and wished that we could let someone else deal with the Shellizaas. I just wanted to go back to the Floating Island and lay in the sun, and get to know the palm orchards ... I reoriented myself. I lived in Knothole, not the Floating Island. Why was I dreaming of the island? I thought of Hidden Palace, the ancient treasure-trove of the power gems. Hidden Palace, the heart of the echidna people. Perhaps that was why I preferred the island to Knothole.

Chimera appeared out of nowhere and threw himself in a body-slam on my stomach. It had no effect on me, and I watched with a smile as he slid off and lay on the ground, holding his own stomach and groaning. "Serves you right," I whispered.

I sat up, rolling Zinc out of my hair and disentangling his claws. He awoke and sat on the ground, blinking.

Knuckles was walking down into the hollow, grinning.

"You need to control your chao," I whispered.

He picked up Chimera and rubbed his stomach. Chimera gave a growling croon, and cast me a dark look. I stuck out my tongue at him. "Where were you?" I added to Knuckles.

"Standing guard," he replied. I scrutinized his face, but he did not look as if he had stayed up all night. He must have read my expression, for he nodded toward Jazz and said, "He watched most of the night. I traded off with him so he could sleep."

I got up and picked up Zinc. "What about wanting to beat him up?"

"I can do that later," said Knuckles. "He was doing it all by himself." He left the rest unsaid, but I knew how it must have floored Knuckles to realize the foolhardy rabbit had taken our safety upon himself.

We walked to the top of our ditch and stood looking at Diamonda, which still glowed faintly in the dawn light. The colors of the crystals were muted, but the tops of the tallest crystals caught the sun's first rays. I could hardly bear to look at them, for some reason, and looked at the sky instead. It was streaked with mare's tails that formed graceful interlocking bands across the sky. The air was still, for the breeze of the night before had dropped. "Rain?" I asked.

Knuckles inhaled and scanned the sky with a practiced eye. "Probably this afternoon, I'd say." He gave me a brief smile and returned his gaze to Diamonda, as if it were a puzzle he was trying to solve. He was guarding himself from me. I wanted to say something, but uncertainty held me back. What could I say, after all, that would not hurt him? But I couldn't accept his proposal of marriage. I felt a wave of despair at the thought, and walked down into the ditch again. I shouldn't even hang around him-I either hurt him or distanced him, and although I hated doing both, I couldn't see how to stop.

Tails opened his eyes and stretched, arching his tails. He sat up and pulled on his shoes. "Hi Zeff," he whispered. "What's for breakfast?"

"Cold rations," I told him. "Want some?"

Tails wrinkled his nose and looked at Jazz and Sonic, who were still snoring. "Naw, let's wait for them to wake up."

We walked out of the fold to where Knuckles was gazing down at Diamonda. He glanced up as we approached. "Morning, Tails."

"Hi Knuckles." Tails's eyes moved past him to the Ghost debris scattered around our former camp. His ears pricked up. "Hey, do you think I could look at those planes?"

Knuckles looked toward the ruined black shapes. "Sure, just don't get too close. I'll stay here." He glanced at me and rolled his eyes at Tails to tell me to go with him.

"Can I go with you, Tails?" I asked.

"Sure," said the fox, and we walked back toward our trees. I set down Zinc and he scampered along with us.

We counted eleven wrecked ghosts. The ones Jazz had hit with rockets were twisted lumps of blackened metal, and the smell of burned rubber and plastic was strong enough to knock you winding at thirty paces. We left those alone. The ones Tails had destroyed with his machine gun were in better condition. Two were recognizable as aircraft, and the cockpits of these were open, abandoned by surviving Shellizaa pilots.

Tails insisted on climbing inside one of these to see how they operated. The only way in or out of the Ghost was the round hatch on the underside. This was open, and Tails clambered inside. I peered in after him. "You know that if something happens to you, I'm the one who gets in trouble?"

"Nothing will happen," came Tails's muffled voice from the darkness within the ship. "It's all offline."

"Famous last words." I watched and listened with a superstitious fear of the bizarre craft, but the only sounds were made by Tails. Presently he clicked a switch, and the cockpit lights ignited. I could see him silhouetted against a narrow, domed space, surrounded by buttons, switches and dials. There were no windows.

"This is so weird," said Tails, lying on his belly and playing with the controls. "I don't see how they fly these things."

"Why?" I asked, peering around him at the blind cockpit.

"The controls are whacked. Look, there's no control stick or throttle. There's an altimeter, but no flaps. It's like half the controls are missing."

"No wonder Sonic's couldn't fly it," I said. I stood up and looked around, imagining I smelled jet fuel. "Want to go back now?"

"Oh, okay." Tails crawled out of the Ghost, reluctant to leave.

I called Zinc, who was examining a nearby Ghost, and we walked back to our 'camp' in silence. Tails was thinking. I was glad to get away from the wrecked ships. There was something about them that made my skin crawl.

The others were down in the bottom of the ditch, eating rations and talking. They welcomed us down and handed us some ration packs.

"Eat up," said Sonic. "We're trying to decide whether to leave or not."

I tore open the lid of my beans. "I want to try to save Kita. And maybe the dragon."

"Dragons are bad news," said Jazz, laying back his ears. "Letting it out would be the worst idea in the long, sad history of bad ideas."

"But it said it wouldn't hurt us," I said. "Just the Shellizaas. And we could get Kita out first."

"How're we going to do that?" said Sonic, scratching his bandaged head. "She lives in the middle of Diamonda. The only time we've seen her is when she's come to us, and she probably got in trouble for doing that."

"You think ... they hurt her?" I asked.

Sonic and Jazz shrugged, but Knuckles looked up. "They'll starve her, but she's too small to harm in other ways. And they wouldn't risk damaging that thing in her back."

"What thing?" said Tails, who until now had been eating and staring into space.

Sonic described the glowing strip in Kita's back, then said, "I'd like to help her, too. But we got the chao back, and we don't have much food left. Unless we think of something, I vote we go home." He glanced at Tails, and I wondered if Sonic's real motive for going home was to get Tails out of danger.

"I won't vote either way," said Jazz. "You folks are nice and all that, but I don't need your help. I'm expecting reinforcements."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out, you mean," I muttered. "What do you mean, reinforcements?"

Jazz gave me a steady look that forbade me to ask more questions. "Reinforcements."

Knuckles was feeding Chimera, who was so greedy he kept nipping Knuckles's fingers. Now Knux looked up. "What's Tails think? He hasn't said much this morning."

Tails looked around. "Huh?"

"What's your vote, go or stay?" Sonic asked.

"Oh, stay, of course," said the fox. "I just got here, and I want to look around."

"That's two for, and one against," said Jazz. "How about you, Red?"

Knuckles looked at him with a funny expression. "You talking to me, Green?"

Sonic burst out laughing.

"Yeah, you," said Jazz over Sonic's mirth. "Go, or stay?"

Knuckles looked down at Chimera, then at me with Zinc sitting in my lap, waiting for his breakfast. "Go. We have too much to lose right now." He held my eyes for a second to tell me that it was me he was concerned about.

I was flattered and irritated. It was nice of him to worry about me, but I didn't want to be placed aside like valuable china.

"Great," said Sonic, wiping away tears and grinning. "Tails, how much fuel is in the biplane?"

Tails was resting his chin on one hand and gazing at nothing. "Brainwaves," he said.

"Tails," said Sonic, knocking on the fox's head. "Mobius to Tails."

Tails sat up. "They're controlled by brainwaves. I saw the helmet, but I didn't know what it was."

"The biplane?"

"No, the Ghosts." Tails's eyes focused. "They don't have windows and half the controls are missing, right?"

"Yeah," said Sonic, eyeing his sidekick. "What's this about a helmet?"

"The controls are telepathic," said Tails. "Once you're plugged in you don't need windows or controls. No wonder they can fly like that." He jumped to his feet. "I've got to try it!"

Jazz's ears were standing straight up. "Telepathic," he muttered. "That explains everything."

We trooped back to the mess of wrecked Ghosts, Tails running ahead to the Ghost we had visited before. He climbed in, and we gathered around the access door. "Awfully cramped things," said Jazz. We watched as the fox pulled a wire mesh helmet over his head and fastened the chinstrap. It didn't fit him, as the helmet had been made for a Shellizaa's skinny head, but Tails managed to cram it on. He became still. We watched him in silence. I was aware of a cricket chirping in the grass somewhere, and of how still it was. The grove of trees hung limp and tired, not a leaf stirring. The sky was blinding, hazy white. It was hard to believe that the carnage of the night before had happened.

I became aware that the Ghost's frame was vibrating. I rested a hand on it-yes, it felt as if an engine had activated. But there was no sound. I glanced along the wing overhead, and poked the boys. They looked around, and I pointed at the wing flaps. They were lifting and lowering. "He's doing it."

Other lights began to flick on and off inside the Ghost, and the searchlight in the ship's belly swiveled like a blind eye. Tails lay oblivious in the midst of it. "Is he in control?" I whispered. It was freaking me out to see the Ghost come alive and move on its own. What if it had taken over Tails's brain in some insidious way?

Before I could voice these fears, everything stopped and Tails pulled off the helmet and exhaled. "Whew, what a ride." He climbed out backwards, grinning. "Did you see it? Did all the stuff move?"

"Yeah," said Sonic. "Kinda scary. Was it hard?"

"Not really," said Tails, rubbing his head where the helmet had pushed his fur the wrong way. "I'll bet I could fly it if it weren't broken."

We took turns climbing into the Ghost and trying on the helmet. Sonic could work everything, but he was weak and shaking when he climbed out. It startled me to realize that Sonic still had his mental conditioning, almost two years after the biotics.

Knuckles could only ignite one light, and emerged soon afterward, rubbing his head and saying that it was too hard. Jazz went in and stayed there ten minutes, manipulating one part at a time. He was determined to conquer the Shellizaas in every way possible. When he came out, it was my turn.

I hated the Ghost as soon as I crawled in to it. I hated the cramped cockpit, now warm and stuffy from former occupants. I hated the way the too-small helmet pinched my skull when I put it on.

Being hooked to the Ghost was like having a second body. I was aware of myself, lying in the cockpit, hands gripping the handles on either side. But I was also aware of the Ghost-its wings, its low tail fin, where the lights were. I knew how to operate the stun beam, and I knew that a series of sensors ran along the sides and belly that let me see out from every angle. I could see the others looking in at me through the door, and Sonic sitting on the ground, holding his head.

I looked further, and found the other wrecked Ghosts, but they were silent. Wondering how far I could see, I reached Ghosts waiting in rows inside the dam, and read their names. But with these new, distant Ghosts came a sound-a shrill, keening sound like an orchestra playing a sustained note. It was irritating and harsh, and I flinched.

Suddenly I realized that if someone should put on one of the helmets in another Ghost, I would be revealed to them, and so would anyone standing within eyeshot of the wrecked Ghosts. I yanked off the helmet and crawled outside as fast as I could. "We've got to get out of here."

They looked at me like I was crazy. "Why?" said Knuckles.

"They can see us," I said. I pointed at a clear lens on the ship's belly. "See these? You can see through these with the helmet on. If a Shellizaa puts on a helmet, they'll be able to see us."

"How?" said Jazz and Tails in unison.

"You just can," I said.

Jazz and Tails dove for the Ghost. Jazz was quicker and got inside first. Tails waited impatiently outside the door, and looked at me. "How do you know you can see through those lenses?"

"You just can," I said. "You see how far you can look-look outside, then look at the wrecked Ghosts, then you can find the ones in the dam."

"No need for a radio," said Tails, swishing his tails and peering at Jazz inside. "Hurry up, I want to try!"

Knuckles was looking at me in admiration. "I couldn't even work a light."

"It's freaky, and I hate it," I said. "I'll bet they could hurt you somehow." Speaking of being hurt ... I knelt beside Sonic. He was holding his head in both hands, eyes closed. "Sonic?" I said softly. "Are you all right?"

"I'll be okay," he murmured. "It's just ... for a minute I could hear Them again. And Him."

"But the network's gone," I said, bewildered.

He opened his eyes and touched his temple. "The network is still here, Zeff. It wakes up whenever something similar enters my head." He shuddered.

Tails left the Ghost and crouched beside Sonic. "They can't get you, can they?"

"Not unless they have Leviathan," said Sonic, laying his ears back. "And if they did, he would have killed me as soon as I touched the helmet. But he's dead, thank goodness."

Tails patted Sonic's shoulder in a nieve, childlike gesture, and sat there until Sonic began to feel better.

After a while Jazz emerged from the Ghost, disgruntled. "I can see out and that's all. I think you made that up about seeing other ships."

Tails whisked into the Ghost, and I glared at Jazz. "Maybe I'm more sensitive than you."

He muttered something and stalked off to our camp.

"Beat by a girl," said Sonic, grinning his old grin. He stood up. "I guess you operate on the right wavelength, Zeff."

Tails slid out of the Ghost with his tails fluffed twice their size. "I saw them," He said, eyes wide. "Inside the dam. There was nobody around, but I know what you mean, Zephyer. They'll be able to see us." He peered up at the sky. "I think we should leave now."

Sonic's smile faded. "Um, okay. I guess we'll go back."

We trooped back to our new camp, Tails and I throwing nervous glances back at the crumpled planes. I kept thinking of the sensation of being revealed to the enemy, as if putting on the helmet had left me naked. While I wore that helmet, I was one of them. The very idea sent a wave of horror through me. I glanced at Tails and knew he felt the same way.

We descended into our ditch and found Jazz loading his gun.

"What are you doing?" Sonic asked.

Jazz gave us a look. "I'm going to destroy the rest of the Ghosts while I still can."

"Inside the dam?" said Knuckles. "Are you nuts?"

"I'm quite sane," said Jazz, his eyes glittering. "Destroying their air superiority is the first step toward eliminating Devan Shell's operation."

"It'll also demoralize them," said Zinc, who had spent his time away from me eating an entire package of rations with Chimera. "A demoralized enemy is a beaten one."

Jazz looked at Zinc, one eyebrow raised. "I won't ask how you know that." He shouldered his gun and marched away without a backward glance.

We watched him go. "I still think he's nuts," muttered Knuckles, sitting down beside Chimera.

"I'm with you," said Sonic. The hedgehog looked at Tails and me. "What's with you two?"

I looked at the fox, who gave me a scared look and said, "Ghosts are freaky."

"Okay," said Sonic, "we're back where we started. Do we go or stay?"

I glanced at the white sky and thought of the dragon and Kita. I remembered Kita floating up into the waiting Ghost, paralyzed and helpless...

"I know how to rescue the slaves," I said.

Everyone looked at me. "What? How?"

"The Ghosts," I said, looking at Tails. "They can track a slave by the thing in their back. That's why Kita can't escape."

"Right," said Sonic sarcastically. "All we need to do is borrow a working Ghost. Get real, Zephyer."

"I am real," I snapped. "It's a plan, which is better than I can say for you two."

"Either that or you've flipped out," said Sonic.

I pointed a finger at him. "You're the one who likes humans so much. You can't bear to see kids hurt, and now you want to abandon a bunch of human children to these psycho turtles! You know how psycho they are? They eat Mobians and experiment on humans! Tell me, Mister Hero, what are you going to do about it?"

Sonic and Knuckles stared at me. "They eat Mobians?" said Sonic.

"Yeah," I said. "The cages with the chao were full of other species. I let them all go." I hadn't told them about that? I guess meeting the dragon had distracted me.

Tails, who had been observing all this, looked ill. "I didn't know that."

Sonic looked at Knuckles, and I could tell by their expressions that my point had been taken. "How many slaves are there?" asked Knuckles.

I shook my head. "Ten, twenty?"

We looked at Tails. He flinched. "You want me to fly a Ghost, don't you?"

I nodded. "And once the slaves are clear, we'll let the dragon out."

"I need to get Jazz," said Sonic. "Hang on." He rocketed off, and five minutes later was back with Jazz. The green rabbit looked irritated, but became interested as we explained our plan.

"Sketchy, but workable," he said, leaning on his gun. "If the slaves were out, I could waste everything that moved."

Before Diamonda this would have repulsed me, but now his words were music to my ears. I looked at Knuckles, and found him frowning at me. "What?" I mouthed at him. He jerked his head toward the rim of our ditch, and I followed him apart from the others.

As soon as we were out of earshot he said, "Fine, you win. You know that we might die attempting this?"

"No we won't," I said, keeping my voice low. "It'll work like a charm now that we've got Tails."

"You're not God, Zephyer," snarled Knuckles. "You think stealing a Ghost will be so easy? You think releasing a dragon that size will help anything? Think about it! You're going to get us all killed!"

I couldn't think of anything to say, but I scowled at him. He returned the look and whispered, "You're becoming just like Jazz."

"Jazz knows how to handle things," I hissed. "If I have to think like him, then so be it! He knows how to handle Shellizaas."

"Shellizaas, but nobody else." He looked at the others, then back at me. "I'm going to try to keep you out of this. There has to be one survivor of this idiot scheme." He stalked down the hill.

How dare he try to tell me what to do! What did he care if I admired Jazz or not? He was jealous, that was all. I folded my arms. Everything would work out, he would see.


	11. Chapter 11

The  
dragon was sitting in his cage, gazing into the distance like a   
monstrous statue when we sneaked to the foot of his cage. His giant   
paws were on level with our eyes, and the muscles in them were tensing   
and relaxing, tensing and relaxing. I looked at Knuckles, who had   
accompanied me. His eyes lingered on the flexing claws. "I think it's   
mad, Zephyer." He did not add that releasing it was a bad idea, but I   
knew he was thinking it.

"We'll just wait here," I said. "We can't open the door until they've had time to get Tails in a Ghost."

Knuckles checked his watch. "Thirty minutes." He looked at me. "What if they get caught? Should we still let this thing out?"

"They won't get caught," I said, looking at the dragon's distant head. "We'd better find the gate and look at the locks." A voice in the back of my head whispered that I was being irrational, but I ignored it. Knuckles was looking at me and shaking his head. I walked around him and circled the dragon's cage, trying to keep out of sight of any watching Shellizaas. I hadn't forgotten Kita's warning that they wanted to kill us.

The dragon's cage was built on a five-foot-thick cement foundation, which adjoined nearby crystal buildings. I had to circle these, Knuckles trailing behind me with a disapproving expression. On the far side, to the dragon's back, was the cage door. It was locked at the top and bottom with two iron latches as big as I was. The highest one was twenty feet from the ground.

Knuckles came up beside me and scanned the door.

"Think we can open these?" I asked.

"Sure," he said. "Getting to the top one will be tricky, though."

Our voices must have carried, for the dragon's head turned, and one red eye glared down at us. Then it recognized us and turned around like a moving mountain. It put its head down on the floor of its cage and rumbled, "You came back." Its attention settled on me like a heavy blanket, and I felt its pleasure at seeing us. I struggled to answer.

"Yes sir. We're going to try to open your cage."

The nostrils flared, and the eye flicked between Knuckles and I. "If I am set free, I will destroy the Shellizaas."

"We know that," said Knuckles. "Do you know that the Shellizaas have human slaves?"

The dragon made a grunting, angry sound that meant, "Yes".

"We're going to try to rescue the slaves," I said, struggling to form words without buckling under the dragon's stare. "We can't let you out until then."

The dragon grunted again.

Knuckles checked his watch. "Twenty minutes."

The dragon lifted its head and gazed across Diamonda. "You must not open the door. Once I am freed, none shall stand before me."

I looked at Knuckles, and he gave me an 'I told you so' look. My resolve wavered.

"Do you know about their planes?"

The dragon made a scornful sound that meant, "Yes."

"One of our friends is going to use one to rescue the slaves. Then we'll let you loose."

The monster looked at something beyond us and snarled, its eyes becoming balls of red flame.

"Admiring Sulfire, are you?" said a voice behind us.

Knuckles and I spun around to see a lone Shellizaa standing with his hands behind his back. I recognized his purple-painted shell and round glasses. "Hello Devan."

Knuckles shot me a startled look, but Devan Shell was unsurprised. "Hello, outlanders. Sulfire is a dangerous dragon, you know. Capturing him was difficult."

"What do you want?" said Knuckles, but Devan went on looking at the dragon.

"He was far from here, high in the mountains. We had to hurt him to cow him into accompanying us back to Diamonda."

I glanced at the dragon. It was crouched in his cage, snarling but silent. I disliked having my back to it. I disliked still more facing down Devan Shell.

"And now I hear a rumor that someone wants to open his cage," said the turtle, tilting his head to one side. "Would you know anything about that?"

"No," I said, wondering if he had a weapon behind his back, and calculating the amount of time it would take me to morph my hand and plant a laser in his face.

"Run," Knuckles whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"No," I whispered back. "Let's take him out before he sounds the alarm."

"Too late," Knuckles replied. "Just run!" He charged at Devan.

I stood there in indecision, and was thrown on my face by monkey thugs who had crept up behind us. They had Knuckles down before he reached Devan, although it took six of them to hold him. I struggled, but my captors were binding my hands and feet. I lifted my head and saw Knuckles writhing in the grip of the primates. It wasn't supposed to happen this way! I turned my head and looked at the dragon in time to see it reach its giant forepaws through the bars and slash at the monkeys. One of the monkeys was too close, and the dragon grabbed it and dragged it into its cage. I heard its scream break off.

Then they were carrying me away from the cage, Devan jogging along in the lead. The monkeys snarled and gibbered to each other, upset over the loss of their companion. They took out their rage on me, scratching my face and pulling my hair. I was thankful that my body was made of metal, and hoped they wouldn't hurt Knuckles. I had got him into this. Please God, don't let them kill him! And what about Jazz, Tails and Sonic? Would their safety be compromised? What would Zinc and Chimera do, back in camp, if we never returned? Zephyer, you're a fool and now you've stepped in it bigtime.

I smelled ammonia as we entered a busy stretch of road. The monkeys called to the Shellizaas, who crowded around us, leering. I looked up into rows of leathery, beaked faces.

"Barbarian scum!"

"So they finally caught them."

"Releasing Sulfire, were they?"

"Kill them both!"

"I saw them with Jackrabbit."

"They look dangerous."

"I hope Devan has something nasty planned for them."

We were paraded through the streets, and more Shellizaas crowded around to hurl abuse. Some came close enough to aim blows at me. I could not defend myself, and I realized why Jazz wanted to destroy them all.

By the time we arrived at the green section where Devan lived, my nose was bleeding. All the Shellizaas in Diamonda were following us, and I was surprised to realize there were less than a hundred. Still, they were a vicious mob, and Devan ordered us taken into his lab, thereby saving Knuckles and I from a lynching.

We were dumped on the floor in a large room off the same passage Kita and I had taken. The room was filled by a massive chemistry set, in addition to tubes, wires, spinning disks, sparking electrodes, and other things I didn't recognize. The monkeys left, and I twisted around and looked at Knuckles. His face was as beaten as mine was, and there were bite marks on his arms and legs. His eyes were closed.

"Knuckles," I whispered. "I'm sorry!"

He opened one eye and glared at me, then returned to playing possum. Maybe he had a plan.

A moment later Devan Shell entered the laboratory, rubbing his hands together. "Rough trip, but at least you're in one piece."

"What are you going to do?" I asked, forcing fear into my voice.

"As I mentioned before, I'm a student of Dr. Robotnik's work," said Devan, pulling on a pair of gloves and laying out instruments on a table. "I'm interested in the process of robotization."

"Do what you like with me," I said, "but let my friend go. He's hurt."

Devan glanced at Knuckles. "Nonsense. He's simply had too much entertainment. He'll wake up in a few minutes. In the meantime, I can begin my research on you."

He grabbed one of my arms and dragged me toward his equipment, my metal squealing on the floor. This was bad. I twisted my hands against my handcuffs, and with a jolt realized they had tied me with ropes. I could cut them with my sword blade! But why show Devan I was armed? Maybe I could stall him. "Why do you experiment on humans?" I asked as we arrived at the foot of a table, and he paused for breath.

"Humans are fascinating creatures," puffed the turtle. "They are not from our world, yet our cell structures are remarkably similar." He tried to lift me up on the table, but I went limp, and he was forced to lower me back to the floor. "Can't you be more accommodating?"

I did not want him to put me on that table. "Why use them at all?" I asked. "Wouldn't it be easier to catch Mobians?"

He mopped his bald head. "I have discovered that humans are immune to chaos. As you know, Mobius is located amid a chaos field, which is why many inhabitants have extraordinary powers. But these are not imparted to humans, perhaps because they are not native to this planet." He lifted me and slung me across the table. He had to pause and rest again, and I wondered if I could get the better of him in a hand-to-hand fight. He wasn't the strongest Shellizaa in Diamonda.

"So what do you do with humans?" I asked. I was lying on my side with my hands behind me, out of his line of sight. The table had metal binders on it, and there was no way I would let him put my arms and legs in them.

Devan smiled. "I wanted to see if humans could be given chaos abilities if a small instrument were placed in their bodies. Some became ill, and some remain unaffected. But a few-ah! A few received limited chaos powers. Kita, a slave girl, has the ability to fly. It improves her dancing no end."

Poor Kita! To have foreign things implanted in you that gave you abilities ... it sounded like being robotized. I hoped this lunatic turtle never met Dr. Robotnik.

He began to untie my feet. I watched him, poised to cut my ropes. "What are you going to do with my friend and me?"

"I am going to open your hull and look inside," said Devan. "I'll find a use for your friend, never fear."

 _I'll bet you would_ , I thought, looking at the chemistry set. I morphed my hand into my sword and began sawing at the ropes.

From across the room I heard Knuckles whisper something. It sounded like a different language. I kept sawing, and Devan locked one of my feet into a table binder. One of my ropes snapped, and I felt my wrists loosen. Knuckles repeated himself, this time louder.

Suddenly something shifted in my head, and I pieced together what he had said, as if I had once known that language. An old memory came to me of lying in my cradle and listening to my father read aloud something in Old Mobian. Knuckles had said, "Cover your face."

I yanked my ropes, which came untied, and I threw my arms over my face.

Knuckles exploded through the chemistry set in a cloud of flying glass and multicolored liquids. The stuff struck Devan Shell and me but none hit my face. Devan fell back and screamed, but he was more angry than hurt. Knuckles slid to a halt, smashed my leg binding with one punch, and pulled me off the table. He was soaked in stinking chemicals. I glanced at the snapped ropes dangling from his wrists and wished I were as strong as he was. "Let's go," he said.

We sprinted around the ruined chemistry apparatus, slipping on the wet floor. "I'll kill you!" Devan shrieked after us. "I'll kill you for this!"

As we ran through the crazy passages of the crystal, Knuckles's fur began to smoke.

"What is that stuff?" I asked. "Is it burning you?"

"Yeah," he said. "I've got to wash it off, quick."

"We could try that hot river."

"I thought of that." His red fur was turning gray in the places where the liquids had touched him, and his eyes were desperate.

We bolted out of the crystal and found ourselves amid the mob of Shellizaas, who had not yet dispersed. "Hey, there they are!" someone yelled, and we were surrounded by a crush of clawing, biting turtles.

"Fight them!" Knuckles yelled, and began to hurl punches in all directions. I turned my hand back into my sword blade and slashed at the turtles nearest me. We landed several blows, and the surprised Shellizaas retreated. I wondered if they were used to docile human children who did not hit back. We bolted up the street, and the mob followed.

I was trying to figure out how far it was to the canal that ran through the city. We had to be within a few blocks of it, I remembered seeing it when Kita led me here to rescue Zinc. Knuckles was running like a maniac, smoke pouring off him in a cloud. What if he died before we could wash it off him? What if it didn't wash off?

We rounded a corner, and the river appeared before us, smooth, crystal clear and steaming. Knuckles plunged in and stood, neck-deep, frantically scrubbing himself. I stood on the edge and looked back, hearing the yells and stamping of the Shellizaas. The rest of the city was silent and empty-all the Shellizaas were after us. I looked at Knuckles. "Is it helping?"

"Yeah," said Knuckles. "Dang, this water is so hot I can't tell how bad the burns are. Help me out." I hauled him onto the stone bank, and he shook himself like a dog. His fur was mottled with gray, but he was no longer smoking. To my surprise he turned to me. "Is there any on you? Are you okay?"

"There's probably some on my metal, but it can't hurt me." I looked at him for a second and noticed a cut on his muzzle from glass. "I'm sorry about all this."

"Too late now," he said. "Here they come, run!"

The Shellizaas rounded the corner and yelled as they saw us. We fled before them along the canal, back toward the dragon's cage.


	12. Chapter 12

I  
had no idea if the others had taken a Ghost. I had no way of   
contacting them, because we had no radios or communicators. All I knew   
was that Knuckles and I were late in keeping our half of the plan-half   
an hour late. But if all the Shellizaas in Diamonda were after us,   
there would be no one watching the Ghosts.

We were a long way from the white crystal and Sulfire's cage. The crystals around us were red with six sides. "Red," panted Knuckles. "This can't be a good section. Red is for war and violence."

"Like echidnas?" I panted. He smirked. We kept running.

We were passing out of the red section and entering violet when the monkeys appeared. They lived in the red crystals, and came swarming out to join the mob, running on all fours. "I hate it when you're right," I said.

"Me too," said Knuckles. "Almost there, now."

We weren't, but he said it to reassure me. We kept running, but I was tiring. I was packing forty pounds of metal, and did not have the stamina to run half the city. Knuckles took my hand and towed me along. Blast this body of mine! It always let me down.

I turned my left hand into my laser pistol, and aimed a blast into the crowd behind us. A monkey screeched and doubled over, clutching a foreleg. Good, the more apes out of commission, the better. I fired more shots, each striking at random among the mob. What I wouldn't give for Jazz's T-D-1.

We zigzagged down side streets and followed thoroughfares, and the mob began to slow down and pant for breath. I sneered back at them. They were like Devan Shell-lots of brains and not much brawn. Hadn't Jazz said something about them all being his handpicked cronies? Who knows what nefarious things they had been working on until now.

We arrived at the dragon's cage with a three-block lead, and Knuckles and I were sucking wind. I had to stand with my hands on my knees and gasp for breath, but Knuckles had the energy to climb up on the cage foundation and examine the lower lock.

The dragon lowered its head and sniffed him. "There are many enemies pursuing you."

"I know," I heard Knuckles snap. "How do you open this?"

I straightened up and climbed up on the foundation with Knuckles. Now that my breath was returning, I could examine the latch while keeping an ear out for the muffled roar of the mob.

The latch was a pair of vertical sliding bolts. It took Knuckles and me to lift them and open the latch. Then we looked at the other latch, twenty feet above us.

"Can you climb these bars?" I asked Knuckles.

He tried, but his knuclaws couldn't get a purchase on the smooth metal. He slid back with a curse, then looked at me. "What do we do?"

I looked at the dragon, which was watching us with red eyes glowing in the afternoon light. "Could you lift us up?" I asked timidly, thinking of the monkey it had dispatched. The dragon looked at its paws, then extended one, palm upward.

Knuckles and I stepped through the bars and climbed onto the dragon's hot paw. It lifted us to the level of the latch, and it took me a moment to gather the nerve to stand up. It was horrifying being within the power of a creature so dangerous. But the dragon was gentle with us, and held its paw against the bars so we could reach the latch.

We grasped the two bolts, and heaved.

Nothing happened.

We tugged, lifted, and twisted the bolts, but they did not move. Upon closer inspection we found a keyhole. "Of course!" I said, laughing. "You need a key to open it! Of all things!"

At the bottom of the latch was a round hole where the peg slid through. Knuckles knelt and peered inside it. "We might be able to work the mechanism from here," he said, sliding his hand up inside. He fumbled with it a moment, eyes fixed on the horizon. "Yeah," he said, withdrawing his hand. "Zephyer, reach inside there. You'll feel a little gear that moves. Hold it to one side and let me try the bolts."

I did as he said and felt the little gear. I pushed it, and Knuckles heaved open one of the bolts. At that moment the mob arrived at the foot of the dragon's cage. We must have looked odd, kneeling on the dragon's scaly paw, which was held so high. The dragon focused its semi-psychic attention on them, and some of them cowered. But others pushed to the front, pulled out concealed guns, and began firing at us.

"Hurry, Knux," I said as he strained to lift the remaining bolt.

"I can't," he grunted. "There must be another gear-"

The dragon's claws flexed. "I will push," it rumbled, and set its enormous weight against the door.

Everything happened at once. The bolt snapped before I could withdraw my hand from the inside of the lock, and some part of the mechanism clamped down on my arm. I screamed. The dragon lowered its paw and set Knuckles aside without looking at him, its attention focused on the Shellizaas. It flung the gate open and exploded into the open with a roar. The mob scattered.

I found myself dangling by one arm from the open door, twenty feet above the pavement.

I was not concerned about how high I was, or the chaos raging below me. What worried me was the pain. I had not had any feeling in my body since being robotized, and even when I did, it was distant, like pressure or vibration. But this was a horrid pinching, close and personal, as if my arm were being crushed in a vice. I dangled from the lock as the gate gently swung back and forth. The dragon was gone by now, but I could hear it roaring. There were no Shellizaas in sight, except for three unfortunate individuals who had taken the brunt of the dragon's wrath.

Hanging there, I was sorry I had released it, and wished I had gone home, the way Knuckles had wanted.

"Zephyer?"

I looked down and saw Knuckles standing below me.

"What happened?"

"The lock closed on my arm," I said, trying to hold back tears. It hurt, and I was unaccustomed to pain.

"Can you pull it out?"

I reached up and tried to pull free, but something tore and a lightning bolt of pain licked down my arm. I squealed and stopped, tears running down my face. "No, I'm trapped." I imagined myself a year from now, still hanging from the lock...

Knuckles gazed up helplessly. "Can you move your fingers?"

I gave them a half-hearted wiggle inside the lock. "Yes."

"Can you feel anything?"

I moved my hand, but could not tell if I was touching anything or not. The pain came in flashes and pulses every time I moved a finger. "I don't know." The lock was broken and I was trapped, that's all there was to it.

"Zephyer," said Knuckles, squinting at the lock, "push down the bolt nearest you."

I stretched my good arm toward it. Fresh pain stabbed my trapped arm, but I had to do something. After two tries I seized the top of the bolt and hung from it, willing it to slide through.

For a long minute nothing happened. Then I felt the pressure on my arm weaken as the gears turned. My arm slipped free. For an instant I hung from the bolt, then lost hold, fell and landed on the cement.

If I weren't robotized it would have pulverized me. As it was, it jarred my legs, but all I cared about was my arm. Between my wrist and elbow was a square dent, as if my arm had been squeezed in the middle. But the bad part was the blood oozing out from underneath my metal and trickling across my hand. I had never seen that happen before.

Knuckles looked grave. "We need to get you home."

"Yes." All I wanted was to shut myself indoors, where all the corners were parallel.

He took my good arm and guided me around the vast, empty cage and up a vacant street. In the distance were rumbles, crashes, and muffled roars from the dragon. There was not a Shellizaa in sight. I didn't blame them for hiding, but then I thought of the way they had attacked us. Maybe they were trying to recapture the dragon. As we walked, I heard a roll of thunder from the cloudy sky.

"Knuckles, are they going to die?" I asked.

"Maybe," he said. "The dragon is really ticked off-I still don't think we should have let it out. And I don't think taking justice into our own hands is a good idea, either."

"Why?" I asked.

He shot me a glare. "Who are we to judge them, Zephyer? We come from a long line of warmongers, ourselves. Do we have the right to condemn these people for things our own people have done?"

Of course not. But that was what I had done, blindly following Jazz's vendetta. "No," I whispered.

"So I finally got through to you," said Knuckles. "Why do you think I've been dragging my feet? Unfortunately, you don't listen to me until you've been knocked around."

We walked in silence through the crystal city. The pain in my arm was overwhelming my senses, making thinking difficult. I had condemned all these turtles to death. Then the stubborn part of me reared up and snarled that if they had not taken our chao and committed atrocities against humans, I would not have cared about them. But maybe it wasn't my place to avenge the humans and chao. After all, this wasn't my argument; it was Jazz Jackrabbit's.

As these thoughts drifted through my mind, Knuckles was leading me at a trot through Diamonda. We were near the center and had half a mile to go. The splitting agony of my injured arm was swallowing the rest of my consciousness. Fascinated, I watched the blood seep from under the crushed paneling, trickle across my curled hand, and drip to the pavement. After a while it mingled with raindrops. I looked up to see that a curtain of rain was being drawn across the crystal tops.

Time was passing. I looked around, the awareness piercing the mists in my head. What time was it? How long had the dragon been out? The sky was low and gray, and the rain had plastered my dreadlocks to my back. Knuckles was drenched. He was looking this way and that, squinting, lips moving as he worked out where to go. I sank back into the mist where there was nothing but the pain that came with every heartbeat. Knuckles would take care of me.

I resurfaced sometime later and found myself climbing the hill on the outskirts of Diamonda. I wondered how we had got there so fast, then realized my feet ached from walking. I had passed the journey in a trance. The pain in my arm was less, but I might be going numb from shock. Well, if that would deaden the pain, I could handle shock.

It seemed to take a long time to reach our camp, and still longer to walk to the trees. I did not know why Knuckles was taking me to the trees, other than it was shelter from the rain, until I saw a group of people huddled in the shadow of the grove. Knuckles led me under the branches and made me sit on the ground, then walked off to Sonic, who was standing watch with his spines slicked down by the rain.

The humans and I stared at each other. I knew they were rescued slaves, but I was past caring. There were fourteen of them, and all had a scar on their backs or arms where chaos machinery had been implanted. None were over fifteen, and some had claw-scars on their bare skin. They were all dressed in thin, expensive clothing, which clung wetly to their bodies.

Zinc and Chimera were there, too. Zinc left the lap of the child holding him and ran to me. He touched my crushed arm, then looked up at me with grief filling his eyes. As he climbed into my laps, I looked at the slaves again.

"Where's Kita?" I whispered.

The children looked at each other, then the boy closest to me said, "She's not here."

I turned my head and looked at Diamonda, which had smoke billowing from it in places, despite the rain. Kita had not been rescued.

The slaves twitched, and I looked up to see a Ghost descending out of the cloudy sky like an aerial manta ray. It extended three legs and landed, and Tails crawled out of the cockpit. He got up and staggered to Sonic, who caught him as he fell. Sonic half-carried Tails toward us and laid him down under the trees. I wondered what had happened to him.

Some of the children moved up and sat around him, stroking his damp fur in a wide-eyed, worshipful way. He smiled and didn't move. Hurt or not, he knew they were thanking him.

Sonic walked up and stood looking at us. His ears were laid back in an anxious expression. "Zeff, Tails couldn't find Kita. She's ... not in Diamonda."


	13. Chapter 13

I looked at the smoking city again, and then at the humans. I saw one of the youngest ones was holding Chimera. He was alert, ignoring their fondling hands, focused on the smoke rising from the city. Chimera was not biting? How odd.

I set Zinc aside and climbed to my feet, clutching my wounded arm to my chest, and walked toward the Ghost. I wanted to see for myself if Kita was gone. I drifted past Knuckles, who barked, "Where are you going?" Catch her, Sonic, she's in too much pain to listen."

Sonic grabbed my good arm. I looked at him. "I just want to look for Kita. That's all. Just try to see her."

Knuckles walked up. "Zephyer, no. I don't want you going near that thing."

"Aw, let her, Knux," said Sonic. "She's the only other person who can use the helmet like Tails. Maybe she could see Kita."

"That's why I don't want her in there," said Knuckles. "She might take off by accident, and I don't trust her right now."

Annoyance cut through the fog in my brain, and the world snapped into focus. "What did you say?"

Sonic and Knuckles looked guilty, as if they thought I had gone deaf.

"I just want to look, you blockheads! I couldn't fly that thing if I wanted to!"

"Yeah you could," said Knuckles. "Zeff, don't go in there. Kita's probably dead." That was the wrong thing to say, and he knew it as soon as he had said it. I marched up to the Ghost and climbed in before they could stop me. I could hear Knuckles yelling at me, but I didn't care.

I crawled three-legged into the narrow cockpit and lay down in the seat, positioning my arm so as not to hurt it, and pulled on the helmet.

The sensation of having two bodies returned, but this body was humming and alive, rain plinking on its skin, ready to leap free of the ground and soar among the clouds. It was more real than my own body, which was wracked with pain and discomfort. I turned the Ghost's eyes outward. I looked through the eyes of the other Ghosts, wrecked and otherwise, but Kita was not within view of any of them. Of course not-I had to follow her by the thing in her back. For reference I looked at our collection of rescued slaves. Instead of humans, I saw a collection of colors and numbers-the raw chaos power capsule in each of them. It was like stumbling across a searchlight, and the vividness of the colors dazzled me. Kita should be easy to find if her gadget was that bright. I turned the ship's eyes outward again, looking for a bright light.

It was nearly beyond my perception. As I focused on it, I realized she was in an aircraft. They were taking her away. I strained to see the ship more clearly, because I suspected Devan Shell was in it. It came into focus, sharp and distant-a Ghost-like ship meant for passengers, three times the size of my fighter-Ghost.

I sped toward it, and it was not until I looked down that I realized I was in the air. Flying. How long had I been flying? I panicked and lost my focus on Kita's chaos capsule. I forced myself to take deep breaths. If taking off had been so easy, then landing must be equally as easy.

As I flew over Diamonda, I heard that sound again-the keen, sharp harmony a bell-tone, amplified and echoed until it blotted out all other sound. It hurt my ears and made my eyes water. What was it? I wanted to rip the helmet off and crash the Ghost, if that would make it stop. I didn't make the connection until I passed over a dense clump of yellow crystals, and the sound nearly split my head. Then the sound diminished as I left the yellow clump behind. The crystals were making the sound.

The second I made the connection, I realized that that was the reason I couldn't reach the Ghost Kita was in. Once a Ghost was outside of Diamonda, the machine's telepathy stopped working. I had figured out why the Shellizaas had colonized the crystals.

The ship was closer now, and I sensed the presence of another pilot. I felt his mind groping for my own, questioning who I was.

Escort, I thought, marveling at my own detachment. Perhaps it was because I was distanced from my real body by pain. The Shellizaa-mind acknowledged me as an escort, but it was puzzled and suspicious.

I glided alongside the large ship and looked at Kita's capsule. She was in the center of the ship. If only I could speak to her! But she would have to wear the helmet.

The Shellizaa mind eavesdropped on my thoughts, and it screamed, _It's Jazz! Jazz is in that Ghost!_

 _I'm not Jazz,_ I thought, but the passenger plane banked away from me and turned back toward Diamonda. I swooped after it, blinking my real eyes as rain blinded the eyes of the Ghost. _Come back here_ , I thought grimly. My ship was faster than theirs was, and I dove in circles around it, like a swallow attacking a crow. If only I had a weapon!

There was the stun beam, of course. I activated it with a thought and directed it at the big ship. Maybe if I shone it through the ship's eyes, I could stun the pilot.

The pilot read my thoughts, and I read his. He retaliated by directing his own stun beam at me. I shied away and flew straight up, avoiding the beam's sweep. "A gun, a gun, my kingdom for a gun," I muttered aloud. I flew in a loop and dove back toward the big ship, the music of the crystals beating on my ears. How could the turtle stand it?

I read his mind and discovered that turtle pilots had things like earmuffs built into the helmets. Because the helmet did not fit me, the earmuffs did not cover my ears, and I was exposed to the impact of the crystal vibrations. He laughed at me. Enraged, I dove at his ship, shining my beam on the "eyes" in the top. He dove toward the crystals, and the sound increased until I thought my head would explode. It wasn't fair, I couldn't get as close to the crystals as he could!

A hand closed on me. For an instant I was held powerless in a grip like iron that kept my mind from moving-it was like I had gone blind inside and out. Then the grip relaxed, and there was the dragon, all fire and fury. He had recognized me. I could see him flying behind me, bat wings pumping.

 _Stop that ship, but don't destroy it,_ I thought. There was no reply, but he sped up and flew after the passenger ship. I banked aside to give him plenty of room, and watched.

The turtle pilot panicked when he saw the dragon coming, but his ship could not maneuver the way mine could. He dove, but the dragon simply flew over his ship, plucked it out of the air in its claws, and dropped to the ground.

From above, Diamonda looked like a bed of nails, all reaching up to impale me. But they were further apart than they looked, and I landed among orange crystals, remembering at the last second to extend my landing gear. I hit the ground with a bump that jarred my arm and tore me away from the Ghost. I lay there for a few moments in the cockpit until the pain subsided, then peered out of the Ghost's eyes. I sensed the dragon was nearby, although it was outside my range of vision.

 _Open the ship but don't hurt the passengers,_ I thought. I looked through the eyes of the passenger-Ghost, and for an instant I looked up at the dragon from between its claws. Then its claws punctured the hull and peeled it open like a sardine can.

I returned to myself with an effort and pulled off the helmet, cutting off the overpowering noise of the crystals. Kita wouldn't know where to run, and she certainly wouldn't make for a Ghost. I crawled to the exit hole and climbed out of my ship.

My body felt heavy and slow compared to the Ghost's, and my arm shrieked with silent pain. I moved through it and looked around for the dragon. It was down the street with the laid-open ship in its claws, watching me. The turtle pilot had fled-I saw him running down the street-and Devan Shell was pulled inside his shell. Kita was still sitting in a seat, staring up at the dragon, her white face reflecting the intense green of its scales. Rain poured down on everything, glazing the dragon's body and running in tiny rivers along the street.

"Kita!" I called. She looked at me, then scrambled out of the ruined craft. She half-flew to me, only touching the ground every third step. She flung her arms around my neck and clung to me, trembling. I held my wounded arm aside and hugged her with the other. "It'll be all right now. Come with me to my Ghost over here-"

She released me and looked at the Ghost. "No," she whispered. "Not one of those, please."

The dragon, sensing it had done what I wanted, flung the ruined ship aside and leaped skyward again, nearly flattening us with the wind from its wings. I led Kita toward my Ghost-she was clinging to me as if I was a life preserver. "Where did the dragon come from?" she asked.

"He was in a cage," I replied, calculating how much space she would take up inside the aircraft.

"You mean that's Sulfire?" she gasped, eyes widening. "No wonder he's gone nuts! They were always doing stuff to him!"

All I cared about was leaving. Kita was dragging her feet the closer we came to the waiting plane. I tugged her along, trying to ignore the stabs of pain in my arm. We were under one of its square wings when a bullet hole appeared in the side of the Ghost. I looked at it for a second and wondered if my own metal could withstand bullets of that caliber. Then Kita said, "That's the fuel tank, isn't it?"

We sprinted away from the Ghost as more bullets thunked into the plane's metal. I glimpsed Devan Shell standing amid the wreckage of his own ship with a gun, then we turned a corner and he was lost from sight. I cursed him under my breath, and did so even more vehemently when there was an explosion. "Why did he have to do that?"

Kita looked at me. Her shock was passing, and I could see the old calculating glint in her eyes.

"We're near the west side," she said. "We could run for it. Your friends are on the west side, right?"

"Yes," I replied, thinking of chasing the passenger Ghost back across the city, and fuming over the loss of my ship. "How close are we?"

"Less than a mile, I think," said Kita, gazing at the crystals around us. "Are you okay? Your hand is bleeding."

"It hurts like heck, but I'll live," I said, in no mood to be pitied. "Let's go before Shell finds us."

We set off at a jog, Kita holding my good hand and peering about for danger. There were a few Shellizaas here and there, running from place to place with guns in hand, and craning their skinny necks to look for the dragon. They paid no attention to us. I wondered if Sonic would be able to find us, and with a start recalled Jazz. He had not been at camp with Sonic and Knuckles. Where was he? Getting reinforcements? Looking for Devan Shell?

We zigzagged down the geometric streets, the odors of chemicals mingling with rain. The ground was warm and steaming, and the crystals around us glistened, almost as if they were growing.

I was unaware of our danger until a bullet sparked off the ground at my feet, and the report of a pistol echoed along the street. We looked back and saw Devan Shell galloping after us, trying to aim his pistol and run at the same time. "De ja vu," I muttered. "What's he chasing us for?"

"I'm his most valuable slave," panted Kita. "I have the best ability of all of them. But I don't want to fly anymore, I want to go home!"

Another bullet whined past us. I knew how hard it was to hit anything while running, but he might get lucky. "How close are we?" I gasped as we turned a corner. "Not far," said Kita. Then she screamed, and so did I. Something hit the pavement to our right that exploded in a ball of fire. But wait-Devan had a pistol! I looked over my shoulder and glimpsed Jazz Jackrabbit catching up to Devan from behind, firing his T-D-1 as he went. Shell whirled to face him, and we turned a corner and they were out of sight.

"Jazz!" I grinned. "Thank heaven for him!"

"Jazz?" said Kita. She pressed a hand to her side, so we slowed to a walk. "So that was Jazz! Devan's always trying to kill him."

"Why?" I panted. The rain was falling harder than ever, and lightning licked through the sky above us.

"Not sure," said my human companion. "They just hate each other. I think Devan tried to-"

A dull boom that was not thunder echoed across Diamonda. Kita released my hand and leaped into the air. As she did she pulled the two silk flags out of her belt and used them to balance. She twirled upward and landed on top of a crystal as lightly as a bird, her flags settling around her as the rain soaked them. There was another boom, and the ground under my feet vibrated.

Kita dove back to me and thrust her flags inside her trousers. "The dragon's hitting the dam with its tail." Her eyes filled with tears. "Do you think we'll die?"

"No, silly," I said. "We're close to the edge, you said so yourself. Once we get to high ground we'll be fine."

Still, the idea of the dam breaking filled me with dread. I had seen the deep, clear lake behind the dam, and I had read about how terrible floods were. I hoped Jazz got out.

We hurried on, an echidna and a young human, listening to the thunderous blows of the dragon's tail on the cement dam. The ground began to rise, but the end of the city was out of sight. The crystals remained large and dense, not thinning as they should near the edge. I was slipping back into a mist of pain as my racing heart pumped fresh blood into my crushed arm.

The inevitable came far too quickly. There was a final boom, then a great rushing of water. "It's broken," I said, feeling despair at what I had to say next. "Fly ahead and get to high ground. No sense in me slowing you down."

Kita released my hand and ran ahead a few steps, then looked back and hesitated.

"Go on!" I said.

Instead she ran back to me and took my hand again. "No, we'll make it together," she said. "I can't just leave you out here."

"Thanks," I said, feeling better, although I knew I shouldn't drag her down. I was tiring, and we were a long way from the edge of the city. The roar of the unleashed water filled the city, echoing off the crystals. I imagined the hot water crashing through the crystals, snapping them off and washing away the Shellizaas. We probably had two minutes.

This must have occurred to Kita, for she said, "Hold on tight, I'm going to try to lift you." She gripped my good arm and jumped into the air. We rose off the ground a few feet, and she whisked me down the street. She wasn't as fast as Sonic, but it was a lot faster than I could run. I gripped her hands as rainwater ran down my arm and into my face, chilling my metal. My hurt arm was a throbbing presence I tried to ignore. Kita wouldn't be able to carry me for long-she was tiring already.

"Take me up to the top of a crystal," I panted.

She strained to lift me, and we soared over the top of a low crystal grove. It felt weird to be floating along without wings or machinery. I wished I could do it.

She hoisted me to the top of a twenty-foot crystal and had to stop and rest there. The top was angled, wet, and slick as ice. I lay spread-eagled, trying to keep from slipping off. The roar of water grew louder. I lifted my head and saw the first wave, white with foam, sweeping over and around the crystals, consuming everything in its path. Kita saw it, too, grabbed my arm and shot straight up in the air.

The wave passed under us, breaking against the sides of crystals too thick to snap. As Kita took off westward, fighting to hold me up, I looked at the water and measured it with my eyes. It wasn't deep enough, compared to the lake behind the dam. I looked up and saw the dam over the tops of the crystals. It had a large hole in it, which was spurting water like a firehose, but it had not yet broken. The real flood hadn't begun.

"Hurry Kita, hurry," I grunted. Her arms were slippery with water, and my metal fingers couldn't get traction.

"I'm hurrying," she gasped. "You're so heavy!"

Despite her best efforts, we began to descend toward the angry water. "No, no, keep us up!" I cried.

"I can't," she panted, half-sobbing. "You're too heavy, I have to rest-"

Perhaps two hundred feet ahead of us was the side of the valley, and I could see our grove of trees on the edge, tiny and unreal through the rain. Figures moved to and fro on the valley rim, but I couldn't see who they were through the rain and the water in my eyes. The crystals around us were submerged, and there was nowhere for Kita to stop. She was sinking rapidly, panting and crying, trying to carry me and failing.

Her hands began to slip on my metal. I tried to grab better hold, but her bare arms were slick with rain, and so was my metal. "Don't let go!" I said, clinging to her.

"I can't, you're slipping," she said, looking down at me through her wet hair and sobbing. "Zephyer, I can't make it!"

I was only holding on to her with my good hand. I slid down her arm and clasped her hand in mine. She clung to me and forced herself forward, trying to close the gap between us and the bank.

Abruptly her hands, weakened by too little food and too much exertion, lost hold. My hand slipped, and we screamed as I fell, spinning, and hit the water with a splash.

It was hot and tasted like mud. The current was incredible and it sucked me along, slamming me into debris and standing crystals. The breath left my body in explosions of bubbles. I could not think, I could not swim, I could only exist in the few seconds I had left.

I was swept between two crystals that formed a V, and stuck there as the water roared over me. I tried feebly to crawl up them, but I was wedged in, ten feet under water-I could see the surface-I cried for air, my head was ringing, I wanted to inhale, I had to inhale, there was nothing in my lungs-

I could not help it. I took a breath of water. I coughed. I took another breath-the pain was horrible, and then-

The roar of the water faded and I was drifted somewhere where there was no pain. It was a place where I was glad to go, for it meant leaving the world and its troubles forever. But between it and me stood a hedgehog and an echidna. They were calling my name. I wanted to go on into peace and rest, but they had me and would not let me go. They were calling my name.

I was moving upwards now, and there awaited pain and discomfort, but I was powerless to resist, for my time had not yet come. They were dragging me through blue, rippling light and roaring, roaring as if the world were passing away. They were still calling my name.

Then I was coughing, coughing until I thought my stomach would split. Water was coming up in mouthfuls, and I could hardly draw enough breath to cough some more. All I could taste was a stinging chemical that scorched my mouth and windpipe. My body screamed with pain, but my arm was the worst. I wanted to cry, but I could only cough. Somebody was sobbing nearby, and there was the sound of rain.


	14. Chapter 14

The coughing lessened and I lay on my face, spent. The roaring of the water was softer now, and I could hear it slapping the shore. It reminded me of the sound of the sea. I heard someone ask, "Is she all right?" The voice had trouble forming the words, as if the person were at the end of their strength.

A voice above me said, "She's alive. That's all that matters."

"She was down there an awfully long time," said a third voice. "What if her brain's been damaged?"

"Shut up, Tails," snarled the voice above me. "She'll be fine if she can just rest."

I felt a small paw on my face, and through half-open eyes I saw Zinc peering at me, his black eyes full of worry. "Zephyer?" he whispered. My lips formed his name, but I could not speak. It was enough to lie there and breathe. "She looked at me," said Zinc. "I saw her eyes move."

I heard movement, and Kita's face appeared, tear-streaked and distraught. "I'm sorry I dropped you, I just couldn't hold you any more!" She broke into fresh tears.

I struggled to lift my head-it disturbed me to see her cry. "It's okay," I rasped. "I'm alive."

I heard Knuckles draw in his breath above me, then he lifted me to a sitting position. My body was stiff and unresponsive-that it worked at all was a miracle, seeing as my metal had been scoured clean by the water. I looked at Knuckles, who was kneeling beside me with an infinitely tender expression. It embarrassed me to see him look like that, so I looked away. Kita was sitting nearby, sniffing. Tails was crouched beside Sonic, who was lying on the ground, and for an instant I thought he was dead. Then his head turned and he looked at me.

"What's with you?" I croaked.

Tails said, "He ... saved you."

I looked at Knuckles, who smiled. "Sonic and I were so upset that between the two of us, we generated enough Chaos energy for him to become Super Sonic. But he used too much pulling you out, and I-" His voice cracked, and he coughed and cleared his throat.

I looked across the surface of the lake of Diamonda to the dam, which was now a few remains of concrete standing in calm water. Here and there the tip of a crystal protruded from the water. It must be fifty or sixty feet to the bottom, and it seemed preposterous that there had been a city down there.

Suddenly I recalled Devan Shell and Jazz. Had they escaped? "Where's Jazz and Devan?" I asked.

Everyone looked at each other. "Why, did you see them?" Tails asked.

"Yeah," I said. "They were fighting, but we left them behind, then the dam broke, and..."

No one answered me, and we all looked out at the glittering, muddy lake. A sense of unreality crept over me. Jazz couldn't be dead-he was too aggressive. And he could run as fast as Sonic. He had probably made it out at a different point, that was all.

I was too weary and in too much pain to worry about it. I closed my eyes and sat still as my tortured nerves relayed waves of pain to my brain. All I wanted was to go home and sleep. I opened my eyes and gazed at the horizon, westward, watching the rain stop and the clouds lighten. As I sat there, I saw someone appear out of a dip in the ground and move toward us in a sneaking, sideways motion. A turtle. I watched him as if he were an image on a television screen. I watched as he slunk toward us, a pistol in one hand. Everyone else was gazing across the lake, and had not seen him.

As I watched the turtle's progress, I saw a red, scruffy-looking rabbit sidle into view, following the turtle with a crazed expression. It carried a gun that looked like Jazz's, and it kept behind the turtle.

The turtle was Devan Shell, although he had lost his glasses, and he kept coming. His squinting eyes were fixed on Kita. I could only sit and look, apathetic and numb.

Chimera saw him first. He had been standing beside Knuckles, watching everything in his usual way, and noticed the oncoming turtle. He bared his teeth and hissed like a cat. Everyone turned to see Devan sneaking up on us. "Hey!" said Knuckles. "What do you think you're doing?"

The turtle stopped, and so did the red rabbit behind him. "I..." Devan noticed his pistol, and hid it behind his back. "I was coming to see if you were all right."

Everyone glared at him. Kita slipped behind Knuckles and me, and for an instant I was reminded of Talon. She knew as well as I did what he wanted.

"Like you care," spat Knuckles. "You Shellizaas have been after us since day one."

"You are the ones who dabbled in our affairs," said Shell, looking affronted. "Anyone could tell you that Shellizaas dislike outlanders."

Sonic struggled to get up, and Tails hoisted him to his feet. Sonic stood there, leaning on Tails and looking faint. "Go away, turtle," he said. "I hope Jazz finds you in a dark alley someday."

"Jazz is dead," said Devan, his eyes smoldering at the word 'turtle'. "I left him unconscious in the street before the flood hit. And you shall die the same waaaaaaaagh!" His words melted into a scream.

During this exchange, the scruffy red rabbit was crouching behind Shell, out of his range of vision, fingering his gun. The longer Shell spoke, the twitchier he became, ears pinned flat. But when Shell mentioned Jazz, the red rabbit snapped. He flung his gun aside, jumped on the Shellizaa's back, grabbed Devan's skinny neck, and began to throttle him.

Knuckles leaped forward, Chimera on his heels. To my surprise, Kita followed them. I watched as they jumped on Devan Shell, took away his gun, and pinned him down. Kita kicked Devan until he withdrew into his shell, and she kept reaching in and pinching him. Knuckles, on the other hand, had a terrible time subduing the red rabbit, which was fighting to get at Devan, screaming and struggling. At last the rabbit sagged and went limp, and Knuckles let him slide to the ground. The rabbit pulled his ears over his face, and we heard him sniff.

"Who is that guy?" Sonic asked. He was sitting now, still looking drained.

"No idea," said Knuckles, watching the rabbit as one might watch a ticking bomb. "But he's absolutely nuts."

"I'll say," said someone from a distance. "And I'm his brother."

We turned to see Jazz plodding toward us along the shore, using the butt of his T-D-1 as a cane. One of his ears drooped sideways as if it had been hurt, and he was soaked. At the sound of his voice, the red rabbit jumped up and ran to him, hugged him, jumped up and down, and babbled something that might have been language. Jazz understood him perfectly. "No Spaz, I'm fine. Where's Shell?"

The aptly named Spaz pointed toward the turtle shell on the ground. Jazz limped to it without a glance at us, and hissed something into the hole where Devan's head was concealed. Devan's head popped out and he snapped at Jazz, but was slapped in the face by Kita.

Only then did Jazz turn to us. "I'd like to thank you on behalf of Carrotus. We're going to drag him back there and make him stand trial. You'll all receive rewards for helping me, of course." Seeming to see us for the first time, he looked at me and Sonic, too exhausted to move. "Um. You guys want to fill me in?"

Knuckles and Tails were the only ones up to explaining, and they did the best they could. They had seen Kita and I flying toward them across the flood as the dragon was breaking the dam. Knuckles and Sonic had been so upset-I gathered that Knuckles had been the worst-that Sonic's residual charge flamed up into full-blown Super Sonic. He had dove into the water and gone looking for me, and found me jammed between two crystals. By the time he had pulled me out and towed me to shore, Sonic's energy charge had worn off, leaving him exhausted and half-drowned. I watched Knuckles throughout this account. He avoided my eyes and slowly blushed crimson.

Jazz reciprocated with his own tale. He had been combing the city for Devan when he saw the dragon grab a Ghost out of the sky. He made for that point and wound up pursuing Shell through Diamonda as the dam was breaking. Devan had hit Jazz in the head with his pistol, then made his escape. Jazz was out for a few minutes, then awoke and recovered enough to run for safety. He nearly made it, but a wave caught him midway up the hill, and he had been swept along the shore for a mile until he fetched up on a crystal and was able to make his way to shore.

They fell to discussing what to do next. I lay down on the damp earth and slipped into soothing, velvet slumber.

* * *

My memories of the return home are hazy. I remember a lot of human cars and trucks, and the grins on the faces of the slaves we had freed. I was inside a car for a long time, and was bounced and jostled until my injured body screamed with fresh pain. Then I recall being in a hospital somewhere, surrounded by humans. Then a Mobian doctor came in-a raccoon, because I remember the black mask over his eyes-and repaired my poor arm. He was an expert on robian injuries, I found out later.

I slept so much I wonder if they had me sedated. They let Zinc stay with me, and he slept a lot too, usually beside me on the bed. Knuckles moved in and out, and Sonic did, too. Sonic recovered a lot faster than I did.

The sleeping wore off, the pain subsided, and I was released from the hospital after a nurse came in and found me playing ping-pong with Tails on a board he had smuggled in. I suppose it also had something to do with my attempt to maim the nurse for confiscating the board.

A bunch of humans went out to see the lake, and they found the dragon still hanging about. Apparently he had been eating any surviving Shellizaas. When the humans arrived he turned shy, for some reason, and flew away toward the mountains. We think he went home at last.

After I was released, I visited the chao garden with Knuckles and Kita, and Kita's parents came to thank us. Her father explained that Kita had disappeared one day, and the police had refused to look for her, saying that runaways usually came home on their own. Then a body turned up on the beach, probably planted there by corrupt officers, and her family had been assured that Kita was dead.

Kita had had the chaos-drive removed from her back, as had all the former slaves. The devices were under extensive study by fascinated human scientists. Kita's family (and Kita) told us we were welcome at their house whenever we visited the human colonies. She gave me a chip of one of the Diamonda crystals, which sits beside me as I write, flashing brilliant blue.

Then Knuckles and I tackled the labyrinth of red tape at the Chao Company to 'adopt' Chimera and Zinc. The only reason we got them at all was Knuckles's final 'false ruby-emerald', which, powerstone or not, was worth thousands of human dollars. We wanted to adopt all seven of the chao, but the proper owners had to be there, and a lot of money was required. Sonic and Tails didn't have it, and we departed the Chao Co. in a snit.

Before we left for Knothole, two things happened. The first was that a large number of human police were sent to jail for being in the pay of the Shellizaas. The second was that we received a letter from Jazz Jackrabbit, along with three golden medals emblazoned with a carrot. The letter was postmarked from the Military Special Division of Carrotus, and was written in a loose, sloppy hand.

"What's up, Freedom Fighters? Thought you'd like to know that Devan Shell has been given a 350-year sentence. His crimes include atrocities committed against another race, kidnapping, conspiracy to treason, murder by time-travel (long story behind that one), and other good stuff. I've been on his trail for years.

Spaz always tags along as my backup, although he's not supposed to. He's too scary to train as a commando, ha ha. Give Sonic a punch for me. He was asleep when you guys left and I didn't get the chance. Tell him I want a formal race so we can see who's the fastest. Not that I'm worried. I'll bring Spaz when I come, and he'll sabotage everything in my favor, ha ha.

Signed, Jazz Jackrabbit

Footnotes:

Zephyer gave me this manuscript to check for errors. Fat lot I know about writing-guarding an island, yes. Working with power crystals, yes. Editing, no. But here goes.

She completely left out her crush on Jazz. She swears up and down that she had no feelings for him, but I saw her look at him sometimes, and she liked his gun. It's good that he lives on the other side of the world or I

I broke my pencil, and I have to use a pen. Chimera otiaed shortly after I took him back to the Floating Island. He picked up the worst swear words from somewhere, and I'm always on his case about his mouth. He likes being an only chao. He 'inherited' a liking for water from Max, who 'killed' him in the first place, and spends hours in the stream in Chaotix Central. He and Zinc are friends and fight all the time.

Zephyer also left out that she was in a delirium in the hospital for four days. I think it was caused by that frigging Ghost she stole against my orders. She kept repeating my name over and over, and would only quiet down if I sat there and talked to her. I wish she'd marry me and get it over with, the stiff-necked [large ink blotch]

Dang pens, they're too flimsy. Anyway, that's all the footnotes. Goodbye.

-Knuckles the Echidna


End file.
